New Zealand Celsias

Gerry Brownlee has been popping up everywhere as of late, and continues to do, having just released a Draft New Zealand Energy Strategy (NZES) and Draft New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (NZEECS) for public consultation. 

The New Zealand Energy Strategy sets the strategic direction of the energy sector and the role energy will play in the New Zealand economy.

“The government's vision is for the energy sector to maximise its contribution to the economy," says Brownlee.

The NZEECS is a companion strategy, specifically focusing on the promotion of energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy. 

"The economics of electricity generation in New Zealand supports investment in renewable electricity generation, with some generation from non-renewable sources for the foreseeable future to ensure security of supply," says Brownlee.

The Draft NZES focuses on four areas of priority:

·      development of the full range of New Zealand's energy resources

·      ensuring secure and affordable energy

·      efficient use of energy

·      environmental responsibility

"The government proposes to reaffirm the target that 90 percent of electricity generation be from renewable energy sources by 2025, providing this does not affect security of supply. 

"The economics of electricity generation in New Zealand supports investment in renewable electricity generation, with some generation from non-renewable sources for the foreseeable future to ensure security of supply,” says Brownlee.

Brownlee goes on to say, “New Zealand has an enviable reputation internationally and as a country we should strive for best environmental practice to maintain our good environmental record internationally." Interesting coming from a government that originally proposed the mining of precious conservation land.

WWF New Zealand aren't happy with the strategy calling it "riddled with holes and dangerously biased towards mineral extraction".  

"The Government's draft energy strategy clearly prioritises unsustainable fossil fuel extraction over policies to drive down greenhouse gas emission or stimulate alternative technologies," says Peter Hardstaff, WWF-New Zealand Climate Change Campaigner.

He says that although the Government's draft strategy proposes to reaffirm the target that 90 percent of electricity generation will be from renewable energy sources by 2025, it fails to come up with a convincing strategy for how this will be achieved.  

"It is riddled with holes.  There is significant depth and detail on plans for fossil fuel extraction, and a gaping chasm between the long-term future for alternative energy that the strategy describes, and the strategies and actions the government intends to follow in order to get there," says Hardstaff. 

"When it comes to developing new energy sources, the government says it "will not pick winners" and will wait to see what happens when oil prices rise. When it comes to existing energy sources, the government is happy to 'pick winners' and provide the support the oil and coal industry demands."

To place your feedback on one or both strategies, and to download the strategies, click here.

Feedback closes on Thursday September 2 at 5.00pm

Image: Flickr -  fidgetrainbowtree