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In a speech this week, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clarke announced New Zealand's intention to commit to 90% renewable electricity by 2025, according to a press release issued by the New Zealand government.
The country already uses 70% renewable electricity, primarily hydro- and geothermal power and will continue to increase its use of renewables over the next 20 years.
Eventually, the Prime Minister would like to see the country carbon-neutral. “I have set out the challenge to our nation to become the first truly sustainable nation on earth…to dare to aspire to be carbon neutral," Prime Minister Clarke said.
The Prime Minister also gave a brief outline of further goals, which included a 2040 target of reducing by half per capita emissions from transport and widely introducing electric vehicles. She also stated the goal of achieving a net increase in forest area of 250,000 hectares (617,000 acres) by 2020.
“The long-term benefits of becoming a sustainable nation will spread beyond our national reputation and success in business to benefit all New Zealanders,” Prime Minister Clarke added.
Further announcements will be made in the coming weeks as the government releases the New Zealand Energy Strategy, the New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy and the Transport Strategy Implementation Plan. Stay tuned.
The late Keith Dawber thought New Zealand could become 100% renewable, not just 90% as I note in my op-ed at http://www.wind-works.org/articles/SustKiwis.html.
Keith would be heartened to know that Kiwis are now taking the idea seriously.
Paul
If we were to follow Icelands example we could become an exporter of "green" energy by 2025 with a hydrogen programme in place.
We might be poles apart geographically but we should not be to our commitment to a hydrogen economy.
Mike H.
Michael Halpin founder HYDROGENHEADS
Paul.
We are a nation of four million people and we have more than a fair share of hydro and geothermal resources. We also have plenty of sunshine, wind, wave, tidal and biogas from a huge dairy industry which could be used for producing "green hydrogen".
What we don't have is the political will to declare that we are working towards a hydrogen economy. I would like to know why? If a small country like Iceland can be world leaders and potential exporters of green energy than I am positive we could follow suit with the resources we have.
Most of the countries in the developed world are working towards a hydrogen economy; I just hope we are not left behind. We have an addiction for second-hand Japanese cars and I can see we could become the place where the internal combustion engine cars come to die. While the rest of the world are driving their clean green sophisticated H.F.C.'s vehicles.
Come on wake up New Zealand let us at the very least start the debate!
Mike H.
Auckland New Zealand.
I wish to learn more about alternative energy souces. I want my farm in North Carolina to be self-sufficient, I want to convert a family home in Long Island, NY to solar energy and I want to work for an alternative energy company for a few years so that I might convert the South to CSP as we lie on the MENA latitude. I would appreciate any comments.
Jon O'Connor
919 365-0184
All of Iceland sits on an unstable volcanic zone and has a population of 300,000.
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