Media press release from Ken Crispin. Secretary. Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre in Napier.

“New evidenced based ‘zero emissions train’ developed in Germany that scientists claim are the best transport option.

NZ also may be easily able to develop our own ‘manufacturing Hydrogen plant’ here to supply the transport of rail freight and passenger services as South Australia is doing currently.

https://reneweconomy.com.au/s-a-to-host-australias-first-green-hydrogen-power-plant-89447/
S.A. to host Australia’s first green hydrogen power plant
Giles Parkinson12 February 2018
QUOTE ;The South Australia government has announced funding for what will be Australia’s first renewable-hydrogen electrolyser plant – a 15MW facility to be built near the end of the grid at Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula.
The “green hydrogen” plant – to be built by Hydrogen Utility (H2U), working with Germany’s thyssenkrupp – will include a 10MW hydrogen-fired gas turbine, fuelled by local wind and solar power, and a 5MW hydrogen fuel cell.
End

We at CEAC want to see NZ Government plan to also build a ‘first renewable-hydrogen electrolyser plant’ as Australia is now developing.

We therefore have no reasons to believe that Simon Bridges will reverse his “anti-rail - pro-road freight policies” in an attempt to help in reducing carbon emissions by at least 488,000 tonnes a year.

Question to Mr Simon Bridges;

Will you now use rail with a zero emissions train system (hydrogen-powered-trains) for even lower carbon emissions for more by increased use of rail freight to lower all those carbon emissions sharply now?

So unless we see solid evidence of his move back to restoring rail freight written in policies by him laid out before the voters of NZ we do not see rail in National Party policy going forward.

Example;
• below with conventional rail use before we switch to hydrogen-powered-trains
• also seen below is the press release from Germany switching to hydrogen-powered-trains.

http://www.kiwirail.co.nz/uploads/Publications/The%20Value%20of%20the%20Rail%20in%20New%20Zealand.pdf

Facts at a glance:

• Rail contributes up to $1.5 billion in often unseen benefits to New Zealand each year.
• The value of rail to New Zealand far outweighs its cost to the taxpayer.
• Using rail reduces the number of deaths and injuries on our roads by a net 271 a year.
• Rail saves taxpayers money on congestion, road maintenance costs, injuries and fatalities and reduced carbon emissions.
Reducing congestion saves $1.3 billion, the equivalent of 100,000 fewer daily car trips and taking 30,000 trucks off the road for an hour a day.
• Reducing carbon emissions by 488,000 tonnes a year – the equivalent of taking 87,000 cars off the road – saves $8.5 million.
• Improving safety outcomes saves $60 million.
• Reducing road maintenance saves $63 million.
• Rail is also an important and sustainable economic contributor to the regions and links New Zealand to export markets overseas.

Ken Crispin..
Secretary.
Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre. CEAC.

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