Wind power blows in

The proposal to develop a wind farm on the outskirts of Grahamstown was authorised by the National Department of Environmental Affairs this week.
The wind farm will consist of eight turbines on the Waainek road. Four alternative proposals were submitted to the department, requesting that 11 wind turbines be erected, but only eight were approved because of the potential visual and noise impact on the nearby Mariya uMama Wethemba Monastery.
The news was greeted enthusiastically by local environmentalists. Nikki Kohly, Rhodes University’s Safety, Health and Environmental officer was very optimistic when she heard the news: “I’m really pleased because I think it is crucial that we start looking at sustainable energy options.”
Nicole Viljoen, from the student organisation South East African Climate Consortium Student Forum, said they supported innovations which were environmentally and socially beneficial.
"A wind farm, if efficiently managed, is just such an innovation, and as such we greet it with nothing but support and excitement for what it may hold for the future health of the Grahamstown area’s environmental and social circumstances.”
Despite the excitement surrounding the project, protest is expected. Coastal and Environmental Services did the environmental impact assessments for InnoWind. Principal Environmental Consultant, Marc Hardy, suspects that the main appeals will concern the visual impact that the turbines will have and consequently the effect that this will have on tourism and property value.
Perceived noise impact would probably also be cause for appeal, although Hardy said that based on their studies, he was confident noise would not have an impact on existing settlements.
Hardy will notify registered interested and affected parties of the appeal process.
Wind farms provide a sustainable alternative to electricity and are regarded as "clean" energy because they do not produce any emissions and do not rely on depletable fuels.
The energy generated by the turbines will displace the power usually used off the Eskom grid, allowing other people to make use of the electricity from the grid instead.
Because only eight turbines were approved, they will not be able to generate enough energy to completely meet Grahamstown’s peak winter requirements of about 35 Megawatts. The turbines will generate around 24 Megawatts of energy.
Dr Garth Cambray, managing director of Makana Meadery, was instrumental in forming the original plan to build a wind farm. He is thrilled that part of his vision for renewable energy for Grahamstown will finally be realised.
“It’s an exciting step for the town, because it’ll make us one of the first green cities,” he says.
Construction of the turbines, which will stand at 140 metres from base to the blade tips, will start only once applicant, InnoWind, has secured a generating license and a power purchase agreement from the national regulator.
Kevin Minkoff, project manager of InnoWind, is confident that construction will start next year and that the full wind farm should be finished and operational by the end of 2012.
Part of the profits derived from the wind farm will be ploughed back into the community in the form of an education trust.

Published on front page of Grocott's Mail on 18 March 2011.