Study shows more than 140 MW of renewable energy potential in Marlborough
02 October 2006
More than 140 MW of potential electricity generation from renewable resources has been identified in the Marlborough region.
The study, commissioned by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), identified the amount of renewable energy that could be realised in the Marlborough region.
The report identified opportunities across several technologies, including:
- 125 MW of small and medium hydro projects
- significant solar water heating potential
- potential for extensive electricity generation from the wave energy resource in the future
- Potential for approximately 15 MW of electricity generation from woody biomass. The same woody biomass could also be used in the future to produce up to 30 million litres a year of ethanol.
The assessment did not account for the effect environmental and cultural issues will have on this renewable energy potential. These are addressed at a local level through the Resource Management Act.
The resources are all available outside National Parks and use technologies that are already economic or are likely to become economic over the course of the next ten years.
‘Councils are continuously looking at the best ways to manage their resources on behalf of the people in the region. The uses are many and varied – energy generation being just one area for consideration,’ said Heather Staley, Chief Executive of EECA.
‘We realised that there was an opportunity for central government to work with the Marlborough District Council to identify what renewable energy resources they had in their area, and then how to integrate this information into their planning processes’.
Renewable energy resources have a major role to play in meeting our demand for energy. EECA works to remove the barriers and provide information to encourage the uptake of renewable energy in New Zealand.
Regional renewable energy assessments have also been completed for the Tasman, Northland, Canterbury, Taranaki and Waikato regions.
>>Go to the reports on the EECA website
ENDS
Contact: Senior Communications Advisor, EECA on 04 495 8269 or 027 222 2943