Nov/Dec 2015 News

With the public notification of the Blueskin Wind Farm Resource Consent application in November, the BRCT office has been frantically busy. However there is more on than just wind work at BRCT.

 This past month we have also:

  • Completed more household surveys as part of the national BRANZ Home Conditions Survey;
  • Started work with a local homeowner on an affordable, and managable solution to a housing difficulty;
  • Fielded a number of firewood enquiries and prepared another insulation quote;
  • Assisted in the work of the Cosy Homes Trust;
  • Continued assistance with Electric Vehicle infrastructure planning in Dunedin;
  • Prepared a research project in partnership with Otago University and Waitati and Purakaunui enviro-schools;
  • Fielded a number of media interviews;
  • Presented at the Otago Energy Research Centre symposium;
  • Received a large number of visitors from within the community and beyond;

 BRCT Visitors

As well as keeping the office functioning, administration up to date, reports to funders and the board of governance and dealing with telephone and email enquiries.

 This is all part and parcel of our community office with its projects, services, advocacy and engagement. We keep putting in funding applications particularly to support tools for our ongoing provision of services, such as for our desperate need for an additional computer. Special visitors this month have been Nick Gerritson, who as well as serving as an Akina Foundation Trustee is also co-founder of leading renewable fuel developer NXT Fuels, along with Celsias, and Carbonscape amongst others, and is Chairman of The National Whale Centre Development Trust. We also welcomed Dr Phil Murray, Lecturer in Sustainable Energy, Josh Curd and Tihikura Hohaiaa from Parihaka’s Taiepe Tiketike sustainable community project (Passive Resistence to Climate Change) to Blueskin. They are interested in building their own community wind project. We were very pleased as well to have ex-Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Morgan Williams, and Pam Williams join us to discuss the Blueskin wind development over morning tea. Morgan helped us get the first wind data collection on Porteous Hill going in 2011 and has been following the project closely.

 I’m preparing to attend the Sustainable Business Awards ceremony in November to represent BRCT (we are a finalist) and meanwhile we are also preparing for the Christmas period. The BRCT office doesn’t close down for long – the team will be taking staggered holidays. Look out for the latest Cuppa Tea article on “Eliminating the Corporate Power Slice: Keeping power generation, distribution, and retailing local and community owned” by John Kaiser, a close look at the economic structure of local power. Finally, we wish you all a happy, low carbon Christmas with good friends and family and a restful break, from all of us at BRCT, and look forward to catching up with some of you at the beach over summer!

 By Scott Willis