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Download AudioThe backers of a massive $5-billion dollar windfarm project off the coast of South Taranaki say it could bring significant benefits to Māori.
The BlueFloat Energy, Energy Estate and New Plymouth based Elemental Group have put in the bid to build 65 offshore turbines, which they say could supply 10 percent of New Zealand’s energy needs.
They’re also looking at projects in Waikato and Southland.
Spokesperson Justine Gilliland there could be 600 construction jobs and a smaller number for ongoing operations.
“Most of those jobs will be ongoing jobs so this isn’t a construction boom and then only a few jobs ongoing. It’s one of the benefits of offshore wind energy, that there are ongoing, meaningful, well-paid, highly skilled jobs,” she says.
Ms Gilliland says they have a couple of years yet to further engage with local hapu-iwi, and they are trying their best to include them in opportunities from the project.
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