By Celsias Team
Posted on July 2, 2010. Listed in:
As the price of electricity rises with the introduction of the ETS, it seems something else is on the rise in the electricity sector. Figures in the New Zealand Energy Data File, released today by the Ministry of Economic Development, show a year-on-year increase in renewable electricity generation of eight percent.
In 2008, annual renewable electricity generation sat at 65 percent. For 2009 the figure rose to 73 percent for the 2009 thanks to wind and geothermal energy playing a bigger part in New Zealand’s electricity production.
“The 2009 figures are more in line with the government’s future expectations – renewable generation will continue to rise,” says Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee.
Over 35 percent of New Zealand’s total primary energy supply came from renewable sources in 2009 – up from 31 percent in 2008.
The increase is put down to hydro and geothermal resources and an increase in the use of wind, bioenergy and solar resources.
So where does this put New Zealand on the global stage? Try third place. New Zealand is behind only Norway and Iceland in renewable primary energy supply of all OECD countries.
You can read the full report here.
Image: Flickr - boskizzi
