New Zealand Wind Energy Association

New Zealand Wind Energy Association AGM 2011

Date: 26 October 2011

Time: 5.30pm - 7.30pm

Venue: Intercontinental Hotel, Wellington

Speakers - Kerry Prendergast and Rob Forlong of the EPA

Our guest speakers this year were Kerry Prendergast, Chair of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and Rob Forlong, EPA Chief Executive.  Kerry and Rob presented on the establishment of the EPA, consenting and future directions for the EPA in relation to consenting and resource management.

Consenting is a key issue for the wind industry.  Kerry and Rob’s attendance at our AGM provided members with an opportunity to share views and experience on consenting with the EPA’s senior leadership.

A copy of the EPA presentation is in our Members' Area.

Chair and CEO's Reports 2011.

Election of Board members

Chair

Adam Muldoon

Wind Development Manager at Meridian Energy. Adam has served on the NZWEA Board and been co-Chair for the past 2 years.

Extensive experience in all facets of energy infrastructure development, from concept creation and proving through to full design, financing and construction. Successful track record in seeing projects through to implementation in a challenging environment.

Corporate Board Members

Blair Walter

Blair is a chartered mechanical engineer with 14 years experience in the energy advisory sector, incorporating a range of technical and commercial projects in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Indonesia,Brazil, Turkey, and Mexico.

Blair’s primary focus is renewable energy and his recent experience includes site assessment and energy yield prediction for potential wind farm developments in New Zealand and Australia; due diligence on more than 3000 MW of wind projects in New Zealand and Australia for potential acquisition; technical evaluation of over 3000 MW of proposed and operating wind farms in Europe for financing or acquisition, including 600 MW offshore; cost estimates, contract strategies and economic modelling for a range of projects; review of construction contracts as bank’s engineer for the financing of a 200 MW portfolio of wind farms in France; independent energy yield prediction for offshore wind farms in France and Belgium using mesoscale modelling; wind resource assessment and site prospecting using mesoscale modelling; wind resource assessment and site prospecting using mesoscale modelling in Australasia and abroad. Blair is Aurecon’s renewable energy leader, based in Wellington.

Blair has served three terms as a director of the New Zealand Wind Energy Association representing Corporate members.

Jim Pearson

I have worked in the New Zealand wind industry for 7 years as a Project Manager for TrustPower. Within this role I have experienced the industry from site identification and construction/consenting, through to construction and commissioning. I have been involved in NZWEA previously as an alternate board member representative from TrustPower and would value the opportunity to become a full-time board member. I believe the wind industry has immense potential inNew Zealand and the contribution that NZWEA and its members can make is imperative to its ongoing success.

Dominique La Fontaine

Dominique is Vice President, Communications and External Affairs at Suzlon Energy Australia.  With over 20 years of professional experience, Dominique’s previous roles include:

• Principal Consultant Sustainability and Climate Change with consulting engineer’s pitt&sherry

• Chief Executive Office – Clean Energy Council

• Chief Executive Officer – Australian Wind Energy Association

• Senior Policy Advisor, Rural – Municipal Association of Victoria

• Executive Officer – Timber Towns Victoria.

Associate / Individual Board Members

Al Yates

Al is the founding shareholder and Managing Director of Wind Farm Group which was established in 2003 for the purposes of developing wind farms in New Zealand.

Wind Farm Group currently has four wind farm groups under development including the Hauāuru Mā Raki Wind Farm which is a joint venture with Contact Energy.

Al is a Director of Juice Point NZ which is an infra-structure provider for plug-in electric vehicles. Al is also a Director of Snowstar which holds an interest in Snowplanet.

Al was the founder and Managing Director for Celldirect Ltd and Brightpoint NZ, a wireless device logistics and distribution provider, for eight years after which he was appointed to a regional role in Europefor Brightpoint Inc., a Delaware Company listed on the Nasdaq.

Al also held product management roles at Dick Smith Electronics and Countrywide Bank.

Al holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Canterbury.

Richard Flay

BE(Hons)(Mech) 1975, University of Canterbury PhD 1979, Universityof Canterbury FIPENZ, FIMECHE, FRINA, MASME, CEng(UK)

Two years as a National Research Council Visiting Research Fellow at the Atmospheric Environment Service, Environment Canada, Toronto, Canada (1979-1980).

Four years as an Aerodynamic Design Engineer at DSMA International Inc., Toronto Canada (1981-1984)

Returned to NZ in late 1984, and have been in the Mechanical Engineering Department since then.

My research interests have to do with the wind: wind engineering, wind energy, wind tunnel testing, sail aerodynamics, wind tunnel design, etc.

I mainly teach in the areas of fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, wind engineering, thermodynamics, design, plus final year projects in wind energy, yacht performance, CFD, wind engineering, sail aerodynamics etc.

I am Director of the Yacht Research Unit at the University of Auckland, which carries out more wind tunnel testing of yacht sails than any other organisation in the world.

There is a considerable amount of research being undertaken at theUniversity of Auckland related to wind energy, and I wish to remain on the Board of NZWEA to foster links between the Wind Energy Industry, and Academia, to encourage research that best suits NZ needs.

Fraser Jonker

B.Eng (Electrical), B.Com Hons (Business Management), Pr. Eng (ECSA)

Prior to joining Pioneer Generation as Chief Executive in 2010, I gained local and international experience in electrical distribution contracting as General Manager at Northpower. This is backed by more than 20 years of experience in electrical engineering, construction, maintenance, asset management, farming, and retail.

Serving as chairman for an irrigation society for many years and currently as an executive member of the Manuherikia Water Catchment Strategy Group, in Central Otago, I have an in-depth understanding of the requirements of sustainable natural resource development and the associated impact on society.

Other Information

Audit Report and Financial Statements of the New Zealand Wind Energy Association 2010-2011

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