While some people – such as those objectors whose legal appeal last September halted Genesis Energy’s plans for an Awhitu wind farm near Auckland - don’t like the visual and noise pollution of wind farms, Mallard says they should make a significant impact by lowering carbon dioxide emissions and helping this country meet its Kyoto Protocol requirements from 2007.
Mallard today released a report - commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Development and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority - that said wind could supply around 35% of future peak electricity demand by being integrated into the national energy supply system.
The study – by independent energy advisor Energy Link Ltd and international environmental consultants MWH NZ – showed the potential for wind was “very high and rapid advances in technology are making it possible to tap more of that potential.”
"New wind generation proposals are being announced at an accelerating rate. Currently, wind accounts for 2.5% of peak electricity generation, but is the fastest growing sector of the generation market,” Mallard added.
The study did not take environmental and economic factors into account and said there were still challenges with integrating wind power into the national system.
However, new tools such as wind forecasting software, a more diverse distribution of wind farms, and turbine technology that had similar characteristics to that of existing generation meant “the future is looking very positive for wind,” the minister added.
“New Zealand is in a unique position to utilise wind energy, both geographically, and because of synergies with our existing hydro generation. The fluctuating nature of wind works well with hydro generation, which can be switched on and off at short notice, and allows water to be stored when the wind is blowing.”
Wind power provides only about 2.5% of the approximately 38,000 GWh (140PJ) of electricity used each year in New Zealand, with hydro providing around 60%, and coal, gas and oil about 30%.
Meanwhile, Tauranga-headquartered TrustPower’s Ashburton hydro scheme has been awarded 58,850 internationally-tradable emissions units under the government's Projects to Reduce Emissions Program.
The units, if sold at NZ$15 each, would be worth NZ$882,750, said the Ministerial Climate Change Group Convenor, Pete Hodgson, today.
The proposed mid-Canterbury project would utilise water flowing through existing irrigation schemes and was forecast to offset the emission of around 66,875 tonnes of carbon dioxide between 2008 and 2012 - the first commitment period of Kyoto.
"The program would not exist if we were not in Kyoto. It alone is forecast to help us save over 11 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and has helped bring forward over 800MW of power projects,” Hodgson added.
