Dr Roger Jones, an expert on climate change risk from Melbourne warns neither NZ nor Australia is spending enough to get native eco-systems in a healthy state in preparation for global warming. Dr Jones told the climate change conference in Wellington last week NZ should work harder at wiping out invasive plants and animals to […]
After dumping a mandatory requirement for bio-fuel to be added to petrol, the Govt is giving bio-diesel producers a boost with a $36m subsidy over the next 3 years. Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee says the Budget will include a bio-diesel grant fund, which will provide up to $9m in the first year, up to $12m […]
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee is briefly off the leash with a writ to lash the major electricity companies for the $4.3bn of “over-charging” found in the research by American electricity market regulator and academic Frank Wolak of Stanford University. The reality however is the Commerce Commission proposes to take no legal action against any of […]
The engineers at Contact Energy must be wondering whether they will ever get to build a big new power station. The company has announced a go-slow on 220 MW Te Mihi geothermal power station, the replacement for the ageing Wairakei geothermal plant. Contact spokesman Jonathan Hill says falling demand for electricity and increased funding costs […]
Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee says the international oil exploration industry is showing increasing interest in NZ. To build on this, the 2009 Budget will make provision for a 5-year continuation of a tax exemption for offshore oil and gas exploration. The current exemption from tax on the profits of non-resident operators of offshore […]
Environment Minister Nick Smith is carving up Phase II of the RMA reform like this.He is looking to establish a series of 10 workstreams Four of them will cover greater central government management of aquaculture, infrastructure, urban design and water. One of the workstreams covers creation of the Environmental Protection Authority. The rest of them […]
Agricultural experts are convinced new techniques can lower greenhouse gas emissions from livestock, effectively cutting NZ’s obligations under the Kyoto Protocol. Dicyanmide, known as DCD, is being used to limit the conversion of nitrogen in cow urine and dung to the GHG, nitrous oxide. While nitrous oxide makes up about one-sixth of NZ’s total GHG […]
The Govt has announced a renewed seismic survey programme to encourage oil and gas exploration around NZ. A total of $20m over three years is to be allocated to the seismic data acquisition programme run by Crown Minerals. Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee says petroleum exploration and investment companies will be able to use the data […]
The Govt, seeking to accelerate “prudent” investment in the national electricity grid, has revised its policy directive to the Electricity Commission. The new Govt Policy Statement introduces a streamlined, simplified process for transmission investments under $20m, which Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee says will save time and cost, as well as speeding up upgrade work.
“An […]
Meridian Energy’s West Wind farm began turning last week, with the blades of the 62 turbines reaching skywards to catch the nation’s most consistent winds, channeled by Cook Strait. Before the week was out, the economics of the wind farm were being questioned. The Dominion Post opined the project was “seriously, outrageously expensive,” saying […]
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