{"id":341116,"date":"2024-08-30T15:28:27","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T13:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=341116"},"modified":"2025-03-06T20:01:17","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T19:01:17","slug":"new-zealands-net-zero-green-energy-disaster-is-a-terrible-warning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=341116","title":{"rendered":"New Zealand\u2019s Net Zero green energy disaster is a terrible warning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ardern government\u2019s eco obsession leaves NZ facing blackouts sooner rather than later<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Zealand has serious problems with its power supply. There are three underlying reasons: the weather, a flawed electricity market and a\u00a0drive for \u2018net zero\u2019<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sixty-five per cent of New Zealand\u2019s electricity is provided by hydropower, and the remainder by geothermal, gas, coal, wind and some solar. Though hydropower is often seen as the one form of renewable energy which is not plagued by intermittency of supply, it sadly isn\u2019t true. The Telegraph<\/a> has the story.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a dry year, hydro\u2019s ability to deliver falls away, and we lose about 10 per cent of our generation. In the past, we always tried to have the hydro reservoirs and coal stockpile full by the end of summer to guard against this possibility. When we switched to an electricity market, this was forgotten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, we failed to refill the reservoirs, and levels are now unusually low. We are muddling along for the moment, but this is a difficult position from which to recover and there are likely to be blackouts at some point in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ability of our fossil fuel power stations to step into the gap has been severely restricted. We used to get 20 per cent of our electricity from gas-fired power stations, but six years ago, as part of their decarbonisation policy, the previous government<\/a> banned further gas exploration, and we are now desperately short of gas. The new government is encouraging new exploration but we won\u2019t see the results for several years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also have a single coal fired station with insufficient coal in its stockpile because our electricity market does not pay for the cost of maintaining an adequate stockpile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The situation has been made worse by poor market design. New Zealand was one of the pioneers of electricity markets, and chose a risky model which has proved to be seriously flawed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, the problems this year have led to wholesale market prices rising to ridiculous levels of as much as \u00a31\/kWh. This has already caused some factories to shut down; others are under threat. The politicians are beginning to realise that the energy crisis could have serious effects on consumers, and there is speculation that they will be forced to intervene. This could mean instructing our gas and coal-fired power stations to run flat out day and night \u2013 which won\u2019t make much difference because of the lack of fuel. Failing this, the only solution in the short term is rolling blackouts. and a public conservation campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New Zealand has serious problems with its power supply. There are three underlying reasons: the weather, a flawed electricity market and a\u00a0drive for \u2018net zero\u2019. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":341120,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691819691,691819630,691818154,691818351,691824798],"class_list":{"0":"post-341116","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-electricity-prices","9":"tag-energy-crisis","10":"tag-net-zero","11":"tag-new-zealand","12":"tag-renewable-green-energy-2","14":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/0green-bg-v2.jpg?fit=2000%2C1335&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1qJS","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":405132,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=405132","url_meta":{"origin":341116,"position":0},"title":"New Zealand Reopens Oil and Gas Licensing","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"26\/09\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"New Zealand has reopened for oil and gas exploration, ready to receive applications for exploration projects after a seven-year pause, following the lifting of a ban on such activity installed by the previous government.","rel":"","context":"In \"coal and diesel\"","block_context":{"text":"coal and diesel","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=coal-and-diesel"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQPxRuIQF2DxDqCRQD2_jYloyA1jteLBY2H7Z6W6-WZvSY7IZB8nYX0D4jp7E1f65mCv8b3dEt4I9-gIHUHhL0y8u4muq0-A5nm0H7VaB2I2gHFd4mGfKJP7FMsZ-sUJ-1.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQPxRuIQF2DxDqCRQD2_jYloyA1jteLBY2H7Z6W6-WZvSY7IZB8nYX0D4jp7E1f65mCv8b3dEt4I9-gIHUHhL0y8u4muq0-A5nm0H7VaB2I2gHFd4mGfKJP7FMsZ-sUJ-1.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQPxRuIQF2DxDqCRQD2_jYloyA1jteLBY2H7Z6W6-WZvSY7IZB8nYX0D4jp7E1f65mCv8b3dEt4I9-gIHUHhL0y8u4muq0-A5nm0H7VaB2I2gHFd4mGfKJP7FMsZ-sUJ-1.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQPxRuIQF2DxDqCRQD2_jYloyA1jteLBY2H7Z6W6-WZvSY7IZB8nYX0D4jp7E1f65mCv8b3dEt4I9-gIHUHhL0y8u4muq0-A5nm0H7VaB2I2gHFd4mGfKJP7FMsZ-sUJ-1.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQPxRuIQF2DxDqCRQD2_jYloyA1jteLBY2H7Z6W6-WZvSY7IZB8nYX0D4jp7E1f65mCv8b3dEt4I9-gIHUHhL0y8u4muq0-A5nm0H7VaB2I2gHFd4mGfKJP7FMsZ-sUJ-1.png?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":223055,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=223055","url_meta":{"origin":341116,"position":1},"title":"The illusion of clean green electricity","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"09\/10\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Millions of people in Germany purchase green electricity from their energy supplier and therefore believe that their electricity comes exclusively from renewable energies.","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/0burn-stupid-burn.png?fit=1055%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/0burn-stupid-burn.png?fit=1055%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/0burn-stupid-burn.png?fit=1055%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/0burn-stupid-burn.png?fit=1055%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/0burn-stupid-burn.png?fit=1055%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":273342,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=273342","url_meta":{"origin":341116,"position":2},"title":"New Zealand Partners with BlackRock to hit 100% Renewables","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"14\/08\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The question is, what does BlackRock intend to do, to help New Zealand achieve Net Zero?","rel":"","context":"In \"BlackRock\"","block_context":{"text":"BlackRock","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=blackrock"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image-549.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image-549.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image-549.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image-549.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/image-549.png?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":368131,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=368131","url_meta":{"origin":341116,"position":3},"title":"Generating electricity through subsidies is a terrible plan for the planet","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/03\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The few wealthy countries of Germany, Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, other EU countries, and the USA, representing less than one of the eight billion on Planet Earth, are mandating social changes to achieve net zero emissions in their small worlds within this planet. The wealthier countries are committing billions\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0Illuminated-electric-towers.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0Illuminated-electric-towers.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0Illuminated-electric-towers.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0Illuminated-electric-towers.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/0Illuminated-electric-towers.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":373941,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=373941","url_meta":{"origin":341116,"position":4},"title":"Wake up call for UK energy planners","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"06\/04\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Magical thinking about energy may not hold up much longer in the UK.\u00a0 Disagreements between European nations may scuttle plans for an integrated energy policy and with it the UK fantasy of attaining net zero. \u00a0Central to the thinking of energy planners in the UK is the hope that an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Energy Storage\"","block_context":{"text":"Energy Storage","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=energy-storage"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0Blackouts.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0Blackouts.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0Blackouts.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0Blackouts.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0Blackouts.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":213539,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=213539","url_meta":{"origin":341116,"position":5},"title":"Norway feeds less electricity into the European interconnected grid","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"14\/08\/2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Blackout-news.de Norway is Europe's largest producer of electricity from hydropower. For some years now, Norway has also been one of the most important electricity exporters for the European interconnected grid. Due to the ongoing drought, electricity production from hydropower has now plummeted. As a result, electricity prices are also\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/0Screenshot-2022-08-14-175546.png?fit=885%2C629&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/0Screenshot-2022-08-14-175546.png?fit=885%2C629&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/0Screenshot-2022-08-14-175546.png?fit=885%2C629&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/0Screenshot-2022-08-14-175546.png?fit=885%2C629&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=341116"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":341121,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341116\/revisions\/341121"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/341120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=341116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=341116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=341116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}