Renewable electricity generation continues to rise

Media release
19 December 2014

NZ Energy Quarterly shows renewable electricity generation continues to rise

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today published the September quarter 2014 edition of the New Zealand Energy Quarterly.

The report, which contains MBIE’s latest data and analysis of energy supply and demand, shows renewable electricity generation increased to 81.5% of New Zealand’s electricity.

This included an increase in geothermal generation of 16.2% compared to the September quarter 2013, and this increase was mainly due to the contribution from Contact Energy’s new geothermal plant, Te Mihi. In the September and June quarters of 2014, geothermal generation contributed more electricity than gas generation.

Diesel demand continued to increase, reflecting increased economic activity.

“This quarter saw the highest ever September quarter diesel demand on record, with the increase concentrated in transport and industrial use. Diesel consumption averaged 53,100 barrels per day,” says Bryan Field, MBIE’s Manager of Modelling & Sector Trends.

Quarterly gas production was the highest seen in 12 years, and feedstock use of gas (mainly for methanol production) is now higher for the 2014 year to date than the entire 2013 year. This was driven by Methanex, which has been running all three of its Taranaki facilities since the end of 2013.

The New Zealand Energy Quarterly report is available from MBIE’s Economic Development website at: http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/energy/energy-modelling/publications/new-zealand-energy-quarterly .
Detailed data tables are also available on the same website at: http://www.med.govt.nz/sectors-industries/energy/energy-modelling/data .

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