2-4 April 2012, Hamilton
Wind energy is forecast to grow significantly in New Zealand. The Wind Energy Conference is your unique opportunity to discover the latest insights and information while meeting everyone from the wind energy industry.
The multi stream conference programme features over 60 speakers and two interactive panel discussions across two days. There is a strong New Zealand and international speaker line up, from operational and technical papers to strategic views and developing areas of interest.
Key Speakers include;
Russel Norman, NZ Green Party co-Leader - Green energy and green jobs in the NZ economy
Russel in one of the 14 Green MPs in Parliament, and male co-leader of the Green Party. Russel is the Greens’ spokesperson on economics and finance, and is a strong advocate of harnessing New Zealand’s strategic advantage in clean energy and exporting this to a world hungry for greentech solutions. Russel entered politics in order to save the world - he thinks there’s still a bit of a way to go.
Dr Lawrence Jones – 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.
Futures Forum
A lively panel debate featuring leading technologists from around the world talking about what the wind industry will look like in 2030.
Register for the Conference and reserve your place at the biggest wind energy event in 2012.
For the 2012 event, we are taking over the Claudelands Events Centre in Hamilton, with a special visit arranged to the nearby Te Uku wind farm.
The full Conference Programme is available now.
There are also still a few opportunities to sponsor and exhibit at the event.