Major Wind Energy Conference Heads for Hamilton

The annual New Zealand Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition takes place this year in Hamilton 2-4 April. The major industry event has a strong line up of home grown and international presentations and expects to see around 300 delegates listening to over 60 speakers.

The event takes over the Claudelands Event Centre in Hamilton, with an organised trip to the nearby Te Uku wind farm on Monday 2 April, followed by two days of conference sessions covering subjects such as the big picture for wind energy, future prospects, community and consenting, wind forecasting, operations, wind turbine technology, health and safety, grid connections and electricity markets.

“With over twenty percent of delegates expected from overseas and a busy exhibition hall alongside the conference, this is a big industry conference for the country,” says Eric Pyle, CEO of event organisers the NZ Wind Energy Association. “Every year the industry is growing and we are looking forward to a busy conference that delegates will find very rewarding.”

Key points of interest:
• Hon Phil Heatley, Minister of Energy and Resources, Dr Russel Norman, co-Leader, Green party speaking
• Lawrence Jones, world leading authority on integrating renewable energy into electricity systems
• Dr Royden Somerville QC, a key figure in drafting the National Policy Statement on Renewable Electricity Generation
• Prof Simon Chapman, a leading health expert debunking myths around claimed health effects
• Panel discussion on Community and Consenting issues, featuring retired Environment Court judge Shonagh Kenderdine.
• Future Thinkers Forum - What will wind energy look like in 2030? An international panel will explore the future of wind generation.
• 300 industry and business delegates, 66 speakers, 33 exhibitors
• 2-4 April, Claudelands Events Centre, Hamilton

Key Speakers include;
Hon Phil Heatley, Minister of Energy and Resources
The Minister of Energy and Resources will be attending the conference on the morning of 3 April and will speak in the main keynote session.

Dr Russel Norman, NZ Green Party co-Leader - Green energy and green jobs in the NZ economy
Russel is male co-leader of the Green Party and spokesperson on economics and finance. He is a strong advocate of harnessing New Zealand’s strategic advantage in clean energy and exporting this to a world hungry for greentech solutions.

Dr Lawrence Jones, Alstom Grid –Issues and solutions; integrating renewables around the globe
US based Dr Jones of Alstom Grid is the world’s foremost expert on integrating renewables into grid systems. He led a study looking into renewables integration and management tools used by 33 power systems in 18 countries, including information from New Zealand and Australia.
Dr Jones will share his insights on integrating renewables and place them in the New Zealand context.

Prof Simon Chapman – Sorting fact from fiction; Psychogenic aspects of ‘wind turbine syndrome’
Simon Chapman is Professor in Public Health at the University of Sydney and a high profile figure with a track record on issues such as tobacco and health research. He has also been openly critical of the health claims put forward by wind farm opponents. This will be a unique opportunity to hear a health expert’s view on the debate currently raging in countries such as Australia and the US, and across the world wide web.

Dr Royden Somerville QC - Making the NPS Renewable Electricity Generation work in practice
Dr Somerville chaired the Board that developed the draft National Policy Statement for Renewable Electricity Generation provided to the Minister for the Environment. One year on from when the Minister launched the NPS-REG at the NZ Wind Energy Conference Dr Somerville will give his views on an effective implementation programme, different agencies’ roles and the industry’s role in implementing the NPS-REG.

Shonagh Kenderdine (recently retired Environment Court Judge) – Community dynamics and consenting issues
Shonagh Kenderdine’s experience includes hearing major wind farm consents. She will share her views on the consenting and community issues that need to be addressed to grow the number of wind farms in New Zealand, and some ideas on potential solutions.
Shonagh Kenderdine will also lead a panel debate on community and consenting issues.

Steve Bielby – Wind and gas, the perfect match?
Steve Bielby, CEO of the NZ Gas Industry Company, will share with delegates his views on whether wind and gas generation could be the perfect match in an integrated electricity system.

Future Thinkers Forum
A lively panel debate featuring leading technologists and experts from around the world talking about what the wind industry will look like in 2030.

Registration is required and costs up to $1,280 + GST for the full conference or $730 for a day, with a special student rate of $330 + GST.
More information is available from www.nzwec.com

Find out about the leading Wind Energy Conference, made by the wind industry, for the wind industry.
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