Interest in wind tests

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33493, 26 March 1974, Page 2

Interest in wind tests

(N.Z. Press Association) I DUNEDIN, March 25. I . A number of overseas ; countries, including West Germany, have; offered to help with' 1 wind and solar energy ] tests to be made in Cen- . tral Otago. A senior lecturer inb bphysics at the University of; Otago. Mr K. R. Dawber. who is planning the tests, [said quite a bit of interest; had been aroused overseas in t: the experiments. Help and information had ; | been offered by a number of ll

'overseas agencies who were; conducting similar tests. 1 However, the Central;’ Otago experiments were not;] under way yet because appli- ’ i j cations for financial assist-1 'ance had not been approved..;] Mr Dawber said that he ’ ; hoped 550,000 would be made! 1 available for the proposed three-year survey of wind:! and solar readings from a!’ network of stations estab- ,1 fished in Central Otago. 1 The project required the]! services of a full-time scientific officer to make daily;l readings from the various!: stations, a complicated pro- I cess which required skilful ' 'evaluation of data. li

“There has been little technological research into ■ wind and solar power in the ’past because of the expense ! involved, and also because 'the need for such forms of ; power have not been fully ! appreciated before,” Mr Dawber said. Initial tests into wind power potential in Central ! Otago had been going on for itwo years with finance provided by the university, he! I said. There were anemometers j ; placed on a number of] [sites and the survey team; hoped to manufacture solar detection equipment for use iin the area. r