08-08-2024, 10:31 PM
Typical Shane Jones sidestepping actually answering questions by spouting verbose riddles.
The one point he does support is the high cost of imported fossil fuels (i.e. coal) but then goes on to suggest we import LNG. NZ has no LNG ship handling facility and to build one from scratch would have significant delay in both public consent and construction. Such facilities are extremely dangerous and typically aren't sited near population centres, or upwind of same, due to the ignition risk. Port Taranaki on the western side of New Plymouth fails in both regards but does have gas transmission connections at its oil and methanol loading wharf.
The current 'dry year' issue will keep occurring as climate change destablises our weather patterns so a long term solution needs to be formulated. The Lake Onslow pumped hydro was suggested for just this scenario by like so many other constructive infrastructure and social need policies has been ditched by Luxon and co in favour of unresearched and poorly thought out alternatives.
Currently solar is the cheapest electricity generation available in terms of whole life costs followed by onshore wind and then offshore wind. Solar is also very quickly installed and its output can be buffered over time of day by utility scale battery storage. The other option is domestic 'rooftop' solar but our governments seem to have a mental block in terms of any form of incentivisation for its installation.
Finally the current spiking power prices, which will move through to retail electricity prices, and threat of discontinuity of supply is the perfect incentive for installation of PV and battery storage by those that can afford to do so. This situation is referred to as the utility company death spiral as more customers either reduce their consumption from the grid, and potentially install sufficient generation and battery capacity to cut ties with the grid altogether, thereby leaving a reducing customer base to pay for ever more expensive supply prices from the grid. As EVs become able to be used as home storage batteries (i.e. V2G) the abandonment of the grid by customers will only accelerate.
The one point he does support is the high cost of imported fossil fuels (i.e. coal) but then goes on to suggest we import LNG. NZ has no LNG ship handling facility and to build one from scratch would have significant delay in both public consent and construction. Such facilities are extremely dangerous and typically aren't sited near population centres, or upwind of same, due to the ignition risk. Port Taranaki on the western side of New Plymouth fails in both regards but does have gas transmission connections at its oil and methanol loading wharf.
The current 'dry year' issue will keep occurring as climate change destablises our weather patterns so a long term solution needs to be formulated. The Lake Onslow pumped hydro was suggested for just this scenario by like so many other constructive infrastructure and social need policies has been ditched by Luxon and co in favour of unresearched and poorly thought out alternatives.
Currently solar is the cheapest electricity generation available in terms of whole life costs followed by onshore wind and then offshore wind. Solar is also very quickly installed and its output can be buffered over time of day by utility scale battery storage. The other option is domestic 'rooftop' solar but our governments seem to have a mental block in terms of any form of incentivisation for its installation.
Finally the current spiking power prices, which will move through to retail electricity prices, and threat of discontinuity of supply is the perfect incentive for installation of PV and battery storage by those that can afford to do so. This situation is referred to as the utility company death spiral as more customers either reduce their consumption from the grid, and potentially install sufficient generation and battery capacity to cut ties with the grid altogether, thereby leaving a reducing customer base to pay for ever more expensive supply prices from the grid. As EVs become able to be used as home storage batteries (i.e. V2G) the abandonment of the grid by customers will only accelerate.