Why does New Zealand need to have 100 percent renewable electricity generation?
Just what exactly will it prove about anything to anybody, apart from the egos of some politicians.
Because of the foresight of parliament and bureaucrats from the 1920s to the early 1990s, and blessedly the absence of the Resource Management Act in those years, we have one of the highest percentages of electricity generated from renewable sources in the world.
The number reported in 2020 was 83.9 percent. Minister of Energy Megan Woods says it’s now about 90 percent.
Either way, it’s one of the best in the world. Only a dozen or so countries have a higher number.
Only 3 have 100 percent of their electricity from renewable sources. They’re Albania, Paraguay and Iceland. Of them only Paraguay produces more than our 43,000 gigawatt hours of electricity a year.
So already we’re among the most environmentally clean power producers in the world, but are we really so insecure we need to be inspired by Albania, Iceland and Paraguay?
We could be even better if the government allowed the power companies to build more hydro schemes or even better, a nuclear power station.
Compare what we already produce through renewables with the United States at 15 percent or China’s 25 percent or India’s 18 percent.
If CO2 emissions do have an impact on the climate, then we have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to producing electricity. We are among the world’s cleanest and greenest in that respect.
Which is not to say we couldn’t do better but it’s just ridiculous that this country should spend upwards of 40 billion dollars to make the remaining 10 percent or whatever of our power generation renewable.
That’s why the announcement of the Blackrock investment in renewables yesterday was just a political stunt.
New Zealand going to 100 percent renewably generated power will make absolutely no difference to the world’s climate.
Blackrock raising two billion of that 40 billion is a nothing. If the push to 100 percent is continued there’s only group which will finish up paying for it - you and me, the humble Kiwi power user.
100 percent is a great name for a chain of appliance stores. Don’t risk copyright by using it for an energy policy.
Peter Williams was a writer and broadcaster for half a century. Now watching from the sidelines. Peter blogs regularly on Peter’s Substack where this article was sourced.
Either way, it’s one of the best in the world. Only a dozen or so countries have a higher number.
Only 3 have 100 percent of their electricity from renewable sources. They’re Albania, Paraguay and Iceland. Of them only Paraguay produces more than our 43,000 gigawatt hours of electricity a year.
So already we’re among the most environmentally clean power producers in the world, but are we really so insecure we need to be inspired by Albania, Iceland and Paraguay?
We could be even better if the government allowed the power companies to build more hydro schemes or even better, a nuclear power station.
Compare what we already produce through renewables with the United States at 15 percent or China’s 25 percent or India’s 18 percent.
If CO2 emissions do have an impact on the climate, then we have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to producing electricity. We are among the world’s cleanest and greenest in that respect.
Which is not to say we couldn’t do better but it’s just ridiculous that this country should spend upwards of 40 billion dollars to make the remaining 10 percent or whatever of our power generation renewable.
That’s why the announcement of the Blackrock investment in renewables yesterday was just a political stunt.
New Zealand going to 100 percent renewably generated power will make absolutely no difference to the world’s climate.
Blackrock raising two billion of that 40 billion is a nothing. If the push to 100 percent is continued there’s only group which will finish up paying for it - you and me, the humble Kiwi power user.
100 percent is a great name for a chain of appliance stores. Don’t risk copyright by using it for an energy policy.
Peter Williams was a writer and broadcaster for half a century. Now watching from the sidelines. Peter blogs regularly on Peter’s Substack where this article was sourced.
5 comments:
WHAT on earth is the use of more wind and solar when they are a totally unreliable source of electricity. NZ will need the equal amount of back up electricity suppliers through hydro coal or solar to guarantee supply continuity. Just nuts and pathetic parliamentary leadership.
As you say, Peter, this is woke lunacy.
New Zealand is already 90% renewable - way ahead the rest of the world in this regard. We are, in fact, one of the leaders in "clean" energy.
The FACT is that New Zealand only produces 0.17% (that is less than two thousandths) of total human global CO2 emissions. The rest of the world (China, India, USA, etc) produces the other 99.83%. Our contribution is basically Zero.
So what exactly is the point in paying $40 billion?
China will be laughing at out expensive posturing, as they carry on building more coal fired power stations !
And you can add into the conversation the question:-
Does human CO2 emissions really cause "global warming" or "climate change"?
More than 30,000 respected scientists have signed a petition saying that human CO2 does not cause "climate change."
For most of Earth's 700 billion year history, CO2 levels have been over 5000 ppm. The current 400 ppm is atypically low.
The fact is that planet Earth's climate is constantly changing all the time. It is a natural process. We are currently warming up from the Little Ice Age of 1300 to 1850, when temperatures were about 2 degrees warmer than now.
Historically we have seen massive Ice Ages, where Europe was buried under glaciers 800 meters thick, and we have seen tropical times where dinosaurs grazed on the lush green fertile fields of Antarctica.
What a great idea!! Put all our eggs in one basket - relying on low-density power generation that in turn relies on the sun shining, the wind blowing and the sky raining. I mean the weather is so predictable - right?
Only a brain-dead moron would do that to their country. Your baseload should be 100% reliable, high density generation. Gas/coal or nuclear are the prime candidates.
Next in line is geothermal followed by hydro.
As our generation demand grows, to charge up all the EVs we're supposed to be buying, are we at least building more hydro dams (the most reliable form of renewable generation). Well, only one, which will use more power to pump the water back up to its lake than it generates!!
Only wacko environmentalists could think that was a viable solution.
All will be fine once Ngai Tahu get given back the majority of the South Island. They will have it covered in hydro, built and used by China.
Then, in 30 years they will demand it back. Hahahaha, fat chance then.
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