Windflow Chief Nailed to the Wall

Windflow Chief Nailed to the Wall

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery in Wellington may not be the most obvious place you'd expect to find Geoff Henderson hanging around, but the chief executive officer of Windflow Technology Ltd has found pride of place in its halls.

The Gallery in conjunction with the Royal Society of New Zealand has selected a portrait of Mr Henderson to feature in its "Science for Survival" exhibition. It acknowledges his contribution to sustainable development in New Zealand and globally.

"I am delighted and honoured to be part of this unique art exhibition," Mr Henderson said, "As the title suggests, today a lot of science is about our survival. As a scientist and engineer, I hope I have made a contribution."

"Science for Survival is a marrying of two art forms; that of science and of artistic expression and serves to remind us all of our commitment to the health of our planet."

Mr Henderson designed the world-leading Windflow 500 windmill, a prototype of which has been supplying energy to the national grid from its position at Gebbies Pass near Christchurch since July. The design features a torque-limiting gearbox and teetering system, which ensure cost-effective operation by minimizing variation in power generation as wind speeds fluctuate.

"We are continuously monitoring the WF500. Its performance to date has been very encouraging; working smoothly across the range of wind speeds experienced so far," Mr Henderson said.

Mr Henderson's company, Windflow Technology has recently been ranked third in the Electricity and Gas Sector of the Microsoft Search for New Zealand's most exciting companies (see last Friday's NBR). Its current Rights Issue closes this week.

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