New Zealand Energy Quarterly released
19 December 2013
New Zealand Energy Quarterly released
The final New Zealand Energy Quarterly for 2013 was released by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment today.
The report collates energy supply, demand, price and greenhouse gas statistics.
“This quarter’s report found that electricity generation from coal fell 45 per cent since June and 37 per cent for the year ended 30 September 2013," MBIE’s Modelling and Sector Trends Manager Bryan Field says.
“In the September quarter supply of coal fell 29 per cent when compared to the previous quarter, mainly due to a fall in production of 16 per cent between the two periods.
“The drop in coal production is due to Solid Energy continuing its consolidation and cost reduction strategy. Downward pressure remains on New Zealand coal production due to a continuation of the high NZ dollar to US dollar exchange rate and low coking coal spot prices.
“The drop in coal generation was offset by geothermal electricity generation, which rose to its highest ever level after Ngatamariki geothermal plant was commissioned in early September.”
This quarter also saw demand for diesel rise by 6 per cent from the same quarter last year.
“As diesel is mainly used by trucks transporting commercial goods, this rise in demand could be a sign of further economic recovery,” Mr Field says.
The average retail petrol price for the September quarter was 216.6 cents per litre, up 6 per cent from the June quarter.
The Quarterly Survey of Domestic Electricity Prices, also released today, found Genesis Energy and its subsidiary Energy Online increased prices in some areas across New Zealand, and Trustpower increased prices in parts of the South Island. Overall this affected very few customers, so there was only a minor price rise of 0.1 per cent in the average electricity price.
The New Zealand Energy Quarterly is available at http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/energy/energy-modelling/publications/new-zealand-energy-quarterly
The Quarterly Survey of Domestic Electricity Prices is available at http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/energy/electricity/prices/electricity-tariff-surveys/quarterly-survey
ENDS