1. Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green) Link to this
to the Minister of Energy and Resources
What phased milestones does he have, if any, to achieve his aspirational goal of 90 percent electricity generation from renewable sources by 2025, as stated in his draft energy strategy?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Energy and Resources) Link to this
The questioner fails to recognise that the Government does not determine the investment decisions that will be needed to increase the availability of renewably generated electricity. The Government does, however, set the regulatory and policy environment in which those investment decisions are made. The Government’s changes to the Resource Management Act and the introduction of the emissions trading scheme are significant encouragements to the development of New Zealand’s considerable renewal energy potential. Phased milestones would be possible only if we lived in a command and control - style economy; we do not.
Dr Kennedy Graham Link to this
In the context of his regulatory framework for encouraging renewables, how many dollars of new funding has his Government committed to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s Marine Energy Deployment Fund?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
The Marine Energy Deployment Fund was set up some years ago. It has not been added to, but I can inform the member that I have recently announced a grant to the Chatham Islands that will make a considerable difference to electricity consumption and the price for consumers should it prove successful.
Mr SPEAKERI apologise to the honourable member but I ask him to repeat his supplementary question. I ask members to remember that it can sometimes be a little hard to hear members at the back of the House.
Dr Kennedy Graham Link to this
The Minister commented about an additional component within the fund, but is it not true that the fund as a whole has been cut by a million dollars?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
It is fair to say that the fund and the concept have been extremely unsuccessful. The number of projects put up that are viable has been extremely low. Yes, there has been a transfer of some money out of that fund to other energy saving activities.
Dr Kennedy Graham Link to this
How much of National’s promised $35 million of new funding for solar power has his Government committed to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s solar hot-water programme?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
I do not recall that a dollar amount was ever put on it, but I can tell the member that the Government has moved to continue the $1,000 subsidy for solar hot-water heating. We have further introduced an opportunity for people to get a subsidy for heat pump heating. We have also made sure that those grants are associated in a dollar amount and measured against the energy efficiency that those appliances can achieve.
Dr Kennedy Graham Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. With due regard to the answer, which I appreciate, I point out that the question simply asked how many dollars have been committed. Does he have a figure?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
I am happy to say that my recollection is—and I will check it and correct it, if necessary, for the member—that it is in the vicinity of $8 million.
Dr Kennedy Graham Link to this
In that case, is it not true that there is no new money for renewables, and that New Zealand is therefore no more likely to reach the 90 percent aspirational target within 15 years as it ever was?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
No, I think that is quite wrong. If one were to look at the number of projects that are currently consented, awaiting consent, or appealing consent, the total megawatt capacity is some 5,300 megawatts on the books ready to go. Of that, 80 percent is renewable-based generation of electricity.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Link to this
Does the ranking of petroleum and coal development as the No. 1 area of focus in the draft energy strategy, and the pushing back of greenhouse gas emissions as the last area of focus, reflect the Government’s fossil fuel bias; if so, how will New Zealand possibly meet the target of producing 90 percent renewable energy by 2025?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
No, I can report that in the last year 73 percent of electricity was generated from renewable sources. During the period of the Labour Government, the use of thermal fuels tripled. So, no, we think we are on the right track.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Link to this
Does the Minister stand by his statement that the draft energy strategy was revised in order to meet the Government’s economic growth agenda; if so, does that explain why the draft energy strategy has been quoted to be light on detail, to leave a lot to be desired, and to have a scarcity of solid information, because there is no growth agenda?
Hon GERRY BROWNLEE Link to this
I cannot believe that anyone who had read the document would make that analysis, and I certainly have not seen it.