David Farrar: Fast tracked renewable electricity

One of the major benefits of the fast track consenting law has been renewable electricity. Climate change activists should be praising the law. Here’s how much extra renewable has been consented:

• Kaimai (re-consent): Hydro, 42 MW and generates approximately 169 GWh per annum.
• Lake Pukaki: Hydro storage, 545 GWh of realisable energy available over 3 years
• Mahinerangi: Wind, 190MW and generate approximately 549 GWh per year
• Southland: Wind, 385MW
• Tekapo (re-consent): Hydro, 190 MW, 187- GWh per annum
• Waitaha: Hydro, 23 MW, 130 GWh per annum

These six projects between them can power almost 400,000 homes.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders