Media releases

Opportunities to get more value from our electricity supply

New Zealand could get a lot more value from its electricity supply by taking the opportunities that lie in distributed generation and energy efficiency, says the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Morgan Williams.

"We need to look more closely at distributed generation - making electricity close to where it is going to be used from sources such as the wind, the sun, waves and waste - and at electricity efficiency. In both these areas, there are many innovative ideas and new technologies that small and medium-sized businesses could develop. Some already are."

Dr Williams was commenting on a PCE report on the Electricity Commission's environmental performance that was tabled in parliament on 12 July. The Commission has been doing well but needs to shift its focus away from big electricity generation and transmission projects to the demand side of the electricity sector, he says.

It should ensure there are no market barriers to distributed generation and demand-side measures, and give more weight to improvements in energy efficiency. Other recommendations among the 12 in the report are that the Commission complete its environmental sustainability framework, and that a clear line be drawn between its work and that of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

The Electricity Commission was set up in March 2004. The PCE report scrutinises the first four months of its operation until the end of the government's financial year in June 2004, and it sets the stage for annual assessments in the years ahead.

The report, Electricity, energy and the environment: Environmental performance assessment 1 March - 30 June 2004 is the first of two PCE reports on energy to be released in July. The second, Future Currents, which outlines different scenarios for New Zealand's energy future, is due later in the month.

ENDS

For further information contact:
Dr J Morgan Williams
Telephone (04) 495 8356
morganw@pce.govt.nz

Project leader: Doug Clover
Telephone (04) 495 8365
doug@pce.govt.nz

Click to see the report summary