Downturn in power use

A sizeable downturn in electricity consumption has been revealed in the latest energy statistics released by the Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee.

The latest data from the New Zealand Energy Quarterly for the March quarter shows total electricity generation down 5% compared with the same quarter last year.

“This is the lowest figure in over five years and is a reflection of the economic downturn dampening electricity consumption, and the reduced usage at the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter,” said Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee.

“On the flip side 73 percent of the electricity generation was from renewable generation – the highest level for a March quarter since 2005.

“ Wind and geothermal generation is continuing to grow,” he said.

“In fact if the current trend continues this year it’s likely geothermal generation will supply over 10 percent of our annual electricity generation for the first time on record.”

“And as Meridian’s West Wind project progressively comes on-stream wind generation continues to grow and be a small but important source of electricity generation. It provided just over 3 percent of electricity generation in the quarter,” said Mr Brownlee.

The data also shows a drop in greenhouse gas emissions, down 31 percent from the previous March quarter and the lowest quarter of CO2 emissions from electricity generation since March 2004.

“This really is a reflection of the high levels of electricity generation from renewable sources and a consequent drop in generation in generation from gas, coal, and oil,” said Mr Brownlee.

The Energy Quarterly data also shows a drop in the production of oil. 4.27 million barrels of oil were produced, 27 percent lower than the previous March quarter.

“This reflects the stabilising production from the Tui field but this figure will be offset by the Maari field which began producing in February of this year and is expect to be producing 35,0000 barrels of oil per day by August,” said Mr Brownlee.

The New Zealand Energy Quarterly is part of a suite of energy publications produced by the Ministry of Economic Development.

It is free to download or subscribe to by going to www.med.govt.nz/energy/nzeq/. The Ministry also provides up-to-date information via its energy data web pages atwww.med.govt.nz/energy/data/.