Two week study begins for energy experts

A team of renewable energy experts, four from New Zealand (Graham Hendricksen –Team leader and Project manager from OPUS, Shea Brazier-solar power expert, Clayton Brown-from OPUS, Adam Fraser-Environment expert) and one from Melbourne (Jessica-a geotechnical expert) have arrived and for the next two weeks will be looking at potential sites on Rarotonga, Mitiaro and Mangaia where power generation units may be positioned to deliver solar (photovoltaic) or wind power.
The team has been contracted by NZ Foreign Affairs Aid Management who are represented on this exercise by Joseph Mayhew who oversees energy projects.
Managing the local end is Energy Commissioner Roger de Bray and a team of four from Te Aponga Uira, two from the Renewable Energy Division (REDD) at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and Anthony White from Mangaia Power.
All team members introduced themselves to each other at a briefing at OPM on Tuesday morning before undertaking site visits to the experimental wind power site in Kii Kii and the airport.
Mitiaro will be visited next week and Mangaia the week after.
According to Mayhew, a lot of background studies have already been completed and this exercise is about translating talk into action. The team will come up with projects not concepts. Only when a project is approved will costing of the necessary hardware will completed.
Roger de Bray said projects will be compiled after Christmas and presented about March next year with a start date sometime during next year. Projects must be viable.
Roger de Bray said he encourages landowners to get in touch with him at OPM to talk about the projects. Landowner co-operation will be critical said Roger and he is happy to talk to landowners about what is involved.

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