Kapiti must try harder with ‘clean tech’ plans
By Chris Turver
Kapiti has taken some pride in being billed as a clean technology innovator and the move to set up a developmental centre in Otaki was widely supported.
Now the future for purely clean technology development looks uncertain.
An independent Clean Technology Trust set up in July last year has been effectively sacked, apparently because it was spending too much on administration and not enough on signing up new cleantech business ventures.
‘Significantly underwhelmed’
The KCDC, which a year ago felt there was sufficient promise to bankroll the Trust to the tune of $1.5 million over nine years to speed up development, now says it’s ‘significantly underwhelmed’ and announced it has taken over.
The solution, it says, will be to maintain its commitment of economic development in Otaki by opening the doors at the Clean Technology Park in Riverbank Road to other ‘new and innovative’ business opportunities
The reality is that it has been tough to attract businesses which want to specialise in growing and commercialising clean technologies by basing themselves in a supportive environment at the Park.
Extensive work has been put in over a five-year build-up by the regional development agency Grow Wellington. Riverbank Estates invested considerably in getting the project off the ground; and the KCDC provided strong support all the way.
‘The perfect start-up site’
Otaki, because of its comparatively low development costs and available workforce, was seen as the perfect start-up site, coupled with easy access either way to the scientific communities in Wellington and Palmerston North.
The downside has always been that venture capital – particularly during economic downturns – prefers to support proven business formulas.
The sort of questions now raised include:
— Will clean technology innovation get as much priority or does that dream now give way to hard-headed business practicality
— When the decision was taken to invest $1.5 million specifically into clean technology what steps were taken to ensure there was a real future
— What controls were put in place to ensure the Trust was spending its money appropriately
It was all very well for the announcement to be made about being “underwhelmed” but none of these questions were addressed and it would be good to think that with effective planning Kapiti could still lead the way in clean technology.
It matters for world survival.
Can someone please tell me what that nice new building over the road from the current one, with the wind powered generator, is going to be used for?
And from what I hear the electric waste collection truck has spent most of its time in Kapiti being repaired, or just not working.
Another local council ideological enterprise has hit the ropes as the Clean Technology Park is finally outed as being unwanted. No business succeeds
unless it fulfills a need and this place does not. It makes me angry ratepayers money has been sunk into a speculative business venture by council staff and members who are not accountable for their profligate ways. Our council has the highest debt of any region in the proposed Wellington supercity area. What on earth did the council think it was doing backing the creation of a speculative business without surveying need and having businesses signed up. Most of the ratepayers in Kapiti could do better than council has. Councils have a specified role which has NEVER included providing start up capital for business enterprises and invention such as the electric waste collection truck at a cost of over a million dollars I understand. What return can we ratepayers expect on that. Its just bizarre.
Clean technology is a crock. I know people wouldn’t read the explanation, so I will not waste my time giving one. But for the record, take the subsidies (both in $$$ and fossil energy) away from any so called clean tech and it falls flat on its face.
And ‘the world’ is going to survive for another 4.5 billion years, despite bloody trash humans, ruling out being side swiped by an asteroid that is.
“The world isn’t going anywhere, we are”. Sorry can’t remember who said that.
The so called clean technology park was bollocks from the start, first most people visiting the place or working there commuted by fossil fueled transport.The building is set in an ugly vacant industrial zone, 100% people unfriendly.
The whole thing smacks of backhanders, cronyism, and bullshit.
More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.
– Woody Allen