New NZ government to abandon plans for zero emissions grid by 2030
The new government in New Zealand will nix the country’s goal of a completely clean grid by 2030.
The government says it will instead fast track renewable projects by pressing local councils to drastically cut the time they take to approve projects.
The government says it wants to double the country’s renewable energy generation capacity, but it hasn’t set a deadline for this goal.
The National Party won last weekend’s national election in New Zealand, but will need the support of either the conservative Act Party or the mercurial Winston Peters to govern
The key plank of the National’s energy policy is to reduce the amount of time it takes electricity and transmission projects to get approval to within a year, and scrap new consents for upgrading existing transmission lines.
Also on the cards is cancelling the Lake Onslow pumped hydro project, on the grounds that the $15 bn project cost four times more than initially expected.The government also proposes to reverse the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration.
National has also floated installing 10,000 new charging stations for electric vehicles. But is also planning to scrap the Clean Car Discount subsidy, and review the fuel emissions standard
It’s also keen on offshore wind, but again the party is only willing to support the emerging industry through faster feasibility permits and requiring resource consents to be issued within two years of application.
National’s potential coalition partners have additional policies they want to see imposed in exchange for their support.The Act Party wants to repeal entirely the fuel emissions Clean Car Standard and the EV rebate program Clean Car Discount.
Winston Peters’ New Zealand First however wants to go further.He wants to set up a new Ministry of Energy to focus on both cheap renewable energy and reopening coal mines.