Another renewable energy record broken

The proportion of renewable energy used in New Zealand continues to reach record levels, Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges says.

The finding was released today in the annual Energy in New Zealand report, which highlights key trends in energy supply, demand and pricing for the 2015 calendar year.

The report shows that renewable energy provided 40.1 per cent of New Zealand’s total primary energy supply in 2015.

“This is a record high, placing us third in the world, behind other renewable superpowers Iceland and Norway,” Mr Bridges says.

Total primary energy supply is a measure of all the energy used domestically in a country.  It includes all raw energy produced domestically (such as coal, oil and gas, hydro, wind, geothermal heat, and biomass) and all energy imported for use (such as petrol and diesel).

“The Government continues to work on new energy targets and this growth in our renewable advantage is very encouraging as we think about what New Zealand’s energy future should look like in the transition to a lower carbon economy.

“In terms of electricity, 80.8 per cent came from renewable sources in 2015, mainly due to increased geothermal generation.  This is the highest renewable contribution in 20 years and shows we are well on the way to meeting our target of 90 per cent renewable electricity by 2025.”

The report also shows that the prices of virtually all fuel types, across almost all sectors, fell in 2015.  This includes residential electricity – the average cost of electricity paid by consumers fell for the first time in 15 years. 

“As the world transitions to a low carbon future, energy diversity is key to achieving energy security, affordability, and environmental sustainability.”

ENZ can be viewed here: http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/sectors-industries/energy/energy-data-modelling/publications