Some energy analysts will tell you achieving 100% renewable electricity in New Zealand by 2050 is an aspirational goal. This is a cynical example of greenwash – designed to delay any meaningful action. We can achieve 100% renewable electricity in less than a decade. Fossil fuel advocates also argue that renewable energy comes at the expense of “energy equity” – that a shift to...
The cheapest source of power is to eliminate wasted energy. Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute has shown that the up front costs of saving a kilowatt hour of electricity can be less than 1 cent. Given that the average cost of a kilowatt hour in New Zealand is almost 30 cents, energy efficiency investments pay for themselves many times over. Even the most obvious opportunities for...
Last week when Chile experienced at 8.3 earthquake, New Zealand’s Civil Defence were immediately able to assess the risk of a tsunami reaching our shores. Living on the Pacific’s Ring of Fire we’ve developed sophisticated geological expertise to match the thinness of the earth’s crust underneath our feet. The risk of earthquakes and volcanic activity also brings with it a renewable energy...
When doors open at the end of the school day, kids spill outside, hoping to catch a few last minutes with their friends. Even on the shortest day of the year they tumble out into daylight. Solar makes up a tiny fraction of New Zealand’s electricity supply. In December 2014 New Zealand’s total installed capacity was only 18.8 MW, approximately 2% the capacity of our largest hydro power station at...
Just north of Wellington the rugged coastline is dotted with wind turbines. Construction for Meridian Energy’s Mill Creek 60 megawatt wind farm commenced in 2012 and will produce over 200 gigawatts each year. Local landowners invited tenders to build the wind farm as a means of diversifying their farming income. Situated close to the High Voltage Direct Current inter-island transmission line the...
Smelting aluminum is a hot, thirsty business. Energy thirsty. To maintain temperatures of over 1000 degrees Celsius in its electrolysis pots, the Tiwai smelter consumes 13% of New Zealand’s total electricity supply. That’s 570 Megawatts of power every hour, and the site’s international owners get that power at a fraction of the price you pay. New Zealand has unique geological advantages when it...
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates on Pure Advantage and New Zealand's Green Growth.