KAROO NEWS - The following statement was received from KIH Energy in response to the article published by the Advertiser last week, 11 February titled "Concerns about wind farm in Camdeboo".
The Advertiser, in the interest of transparency, fair and unbiased reporting and to ensure that all facts are known to all the interested parties, is publishing KIH's statement in full.
The Advertiser wishes to state categorically that the newspaper never stated that the wind farm was set to be erected inside the Camdeboo Conservancy, but that some landowners in the conservancy are concerned that it would be erected on a ridge above the conservancy where a meteorological mast has been erected to test wind speeds.
In this case, the turbines would be visible from the conservancy and the night lights would impact on the general ambiance of the conservancy. This would have a negative impact on tourism as a "starry, starry night" experience would be impossible.
KIH Energy was asked to provide an assurance that the wind farm would not be erected on the ridge, but this they would not do, stating: "We can only follow the EIA process and respect all legislative no-go areas, but ridges in the Renewable Energy Red Zone were not selected by us but by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMRE) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)."
KIH suggested that concerned landowners, such as Willem Wagener and Dave Parker, engage their neighbours in the area to determine the concerns on the visual impact and attain their reassurance. - Ilse Schoonraad
KIH ENERGY STATEMENT:
At this early stage of development, the developer is undertaking a feasibility study of the wind resource only. As such, there are no definitive plans to share with regards to quantity and location of Wind Turbine Generators (WTG) as information is being gathered for the wind resource.
Yes, a greater area has been identified, but a scientific approach must be undertaken to quantify the resources availability.
Determining a target area
Part of the decision to target an area, consisting of over 20 landowners, includes:
- Possibility for a World Class Wind Resource being present
- Government (DMRE) and CSIR commitment to target the area for Wind Renewable Development in their Masterplan
- Environmental Agencies zoning of the area as being suitable for Wind Renewable Development. Therefore, it was deemed that Wind Renewable Development will have little to no effect on avifauna, biodiversity and flora, coupled with the possibility of a strong wind resource being present
- Opportunity to financially benefit a community suffering from a prolonged drought and high unemployment
Notable factors
- Legislated by Government that a percentage of revenue generated on development will be ploughed back into the immediate community. This stands to greatly benefit the community with regards to infrastructure, health care, schools or other needs the community designates the funds towards. Important to note that the community has substantial authority over how the community funds are allocated.
- Development will act as a huge job catalyst both during construction and operation of the Wind Development.
- Development will result in a substantial increase in rates and taxes being collected by Greater Graaff Reinet municipality, resulting in more funds being available for service delivery of the community.
- Development will require considerable local support from local businesses, creating opportunities for the provision of construction services, aggregate material, accommodation, hardware and related, transport services and other miscellaneous support.
- At the scale of development planned, development will be the largest employer and contributor of rates and taxes in the district, creating a huge benefit for the community.
Project facts and process
Whilst we appreciate the robust engagement, we feel it is important that information shared is factual in nature.
- Project is not in the Camdeboo Conservancy- meaning no Landholdings are in the Camdeboo Conservancy that form part of the feasibility study
- During the EIA phase, all stakeholders will be fully engaged with the objective to reach mutually beneficial agreements. This will conform with all legislated requirements
- Current stakeholder engagement is not mandatory at this stage of the development, but this was done to be transparent and allow for a portal for those parties that want to engage at this early phase.
Raptors and birds
At this early phase, we are encouraged by the positive engagement being experienced by bodies representing raptors and birds in general. As we have seen in South Africa and Worldwide, with the huge advancement of collision avoidance technology, it is possible to eliminate the bird collisions previously experienced on Wind Renewable Developments.
This bodes positively to this development. We are also encouraged that this wind development can be used to finance and fund conservation projects with the aim of conserving our threatened species and ecosystems in the immediate vicinity of the project.
Fear of victimisation
As discussed during the public engagement meeting on Friday 5 February 2021, the developer is available for engagement. The developer is however not prepared to make public the over 20 landowners and increasing that have committed to this project due to fear of victimisation by the minority who potentially stand against such a development.
In the developers experience, landowners are often victimised by a small minority of the community, who stand opposed to a development which will greatly benefit the community at large - benefits stated above.
Engage with us
Furthermore, we are humbled by the huge interest and positive responses received from the community at large. We would like to encourage the community to continue to engage to enable a robust stakeholder engagement process.admin@khulisana.com
* The expression "a straw in the wind" is a British journalism term. If something is a straw in the wind, it is a sign of the way in which a situation may develop.
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