Renewable electricity generation hits 37-year high

20 September 2018

Renewable electricity generation hits 37-year high for June quarter

Favourable hydro and wind conditions in the second quarter of 2018 led to the highest proportion of renewable electricity generation for the quarter since 1981, according to the New Zealand Energy Quarterly released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

The latest New Zealand Energy Quarterly covers the period April-June 2018 and provides quarterly data and analysis on energy supply, demand, prices and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

“Renewable sources accounted for 85 per cent of electricity generation for the June quarter, up from 79 per cent on the same quarter a year ago and the highest renewable share of electricity for the quarter in 37 years,” says James Hogan, MBIE Manager Energy and Building Trends.

“Hydro generation was up 13 per cent and wind generation 12 per cent compared to the June 2017 quarter and generation from non-renewable sources fell by 27 per cent from a year earlier.

“This was despite national electricity demand being unchanged for the quarter compared to the same period last year.

“The quarter also coincided with New Zealand Refining’s planned maintenance shutdown at the Marsden Point refinery and a reduction in output from the Pohokura gas field. As a result, there were significantly higher imports of refined fuels and a 35 per cent decline in crude oil imports over the period while gas supply was down 17 per cent on the June 2017 quarter.”

MBIE will release its annual Energy in New Zealand publication on 11 October which provides information on, and analysis of, New Zealand’s energy supply, demand and prices.

New Zealand Energy Quarterly:

http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/sectors-industries/energy/energy-data-modelling/publications/new-zealand-energy-quarterly

Read about electricity cost and price monitoring:

http://www.mbie.govt.nz/info-services/sectors-industries/energy/energy-data-modelling/statistics/prices/electricity-prices

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