NZ | Energy Projects

[Svartmetall]

Mmhm, and if we can't rely upon lithium then it means turning to other battery types such as nickel-metal hydride or even worse, nickel-cadmium batteries both of which have a plethora of problems attached to them - worst of all being charge memory problems.

Batteries for high powered appliances such as cars are a problem in general as they have to put up with highly adverse conditions. Drivers have to be careful not to run them too low as they might fail in future use, they have to be careful not to overcharge them, they have to be careful not to charge them too frequently (IE before sufficient drainage). If this isn't done then just like we see in iPods and other appliances like that we'll see diminished battery life - not good!

[kegan]

From Scoop (I cut the political BS from the minister - if you want to read that follow the link)

Transpower grid upgrade.

The objective has been to “bring forward” essential grid strengthening work that would otherwise be done over the next ten years or so.

The work has relatively high labour and New Zealand material content.

Today’s 50 million dollar announcement covers stage one.

Stage one:

• Tower strengthening, including strengthening of the foundations.
• Painting and maintenance of the towers.
• Improvements of access tracks and civil works on substations.
• The work is to be performed on the grid nationwide.

The contracts for the work are being offered from April and some work is expected to start immediately.

The contracts are likely to be let to firms based in respective.
Regions.

Commerce Commission approval is required.

Stage two:

An additional 50 million dollars of work is also planned on the national grid.

This work involves upgrading the insulators on the towers.

It has a longer lead time before work can start and will require regulatory approval from the Electricity Commission.

[kegan]

Unfortunately, it'll probably be appealed and go off to the Environment Court.

Wind farm approved
DAVE BURGESS - The Dominion Post | Thursday, 19 February 2009

Meridian Energy has been given permission for a 29-turbine wind farm in Ohariu Valley, which one local says will see a rural road to nowhere become a "super highway".

Planning commissioners granted consent for the Mill Creek Wind Farm near Wellington yesterday but with 29 turbines instead of the 31 proposed by Meridian. It will also see a private road built connecting the wind farm site with Spicer Valley in Porirua to transport turbines and construction traffic.
more

Map from The Dom:

[spotila]

man, I wish the nimbys would really stop whinging about the windmills. I can't think of anything that would be considered standing in the way of progress more.

Oh no my view has some windmills in it!!!

To be honest I find them quite pretty

Good to see it approved though!

[kegan]

Genesis eyes wind farm in northern Wairarapa
31.03.2009
By Nathan Crombie

A major Genesis Energy wind farm could be built in northern Wairarapa if the numbers stack up.

Genesis public affairs manager Richard Gordon said yesterday resource consents have been granted for the first of several mobile wind masts to be erected east of Eketahuna, involving up to 27 farming properties.

Further resource consents are now being lodged that will allow up to six masts, which will gather wind data over the next 10 months for what could become "a substantial wind farm" in the region, he said.
more

[Svartmetall]

That'd be good for energy security. I find it interesting that there is such a huge backlash against wind farms - they're present all over Europe next to the major roads.

[deepred]

Originally Posted by Svartmetall

That'd be good for energy security. I find it interesting that there is such a huge backlash against wind farms - they're present all over Europe next to the major roads.

You're probably thinking of the sort of people who think environmentalism is about slapping an 'I <3 nature' bumper sticker on a Porsche Cayenne.

[Svartmetall]

Originally Posted by deepred

You're probably thinking of the sort of people who think environmentalism is about slapping an 'I <3 nature' bumper sticker on a Porsche Cayenne.

The hilarious thing is that I've seen many things like that - a Greenpeace sticker on the back of the largest Toyota Hilux I'd ever seen!

[kegan]

Some more wind farm news (from The National Business Review):

(1) Franklin District wind farm possiblity.

Contact Energy buys land for windfarm pylons
Lucy Craymer | Monday March 30 2009 - 07:43am

Contact Energy has been buying up land in the Franklin District as part of its strategy to build New Zealand’s largest windfarm on the coast from Port Waikato to Raglan.

The most controversial part of the windfarm plan is the pylons and power lines, which will cross 23 kilometres of farmland to connect it with the national grid - the pylons that average 40-metre high will cross 15 farms.

Many of the owners of these farms have serious concerns about this – a Contact Energy report states that some landowners had expressed concern about the transmission line crossing their property.
more

(2) Dannevirke wind farm rejected.

Contact’s Dannevirke wind farm plans shot down
Robert Smith | Thursday April 2 2009 - 11:58am
photo: Harvey McDaniel

Contact Energy’s plan to build the largest wind turbines in New Zealand near Dannevirke has been blown away by electricity commissioners, who have turned down the power giant’s application to erect 65 of the turbines.

Contact lodged a joint application to Tararua District and Horizons Regional Councils to erect the wind farm on a 3600 ha site in the Waitahora valley south east of Dannevirke, with the hearing into the case wrapping up last month.

At 150m tall, the turbines would have been the largest to be erected in this country, with a generational capacity of 177MW and likely annual generation in the range of 370-400GWh.

The company was planning to spend $500 million on the farm, which would have produced enough electricity to power up to 86,000 homes.
more

[whizz_pat]

What do people think of the proposed dams at the Clutha River?

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/n...ectid=10567071

I realise that dams disturb the ecology of the area, and that they do not look very nice, but I would much rather have dams than power cuts.

Dams are a better option than fossil fuel plants (due to problems with the security of supply, and air pollution problems), and IMO, they are better than windfarms, because their potential energy can be stored in the lake, whereas you have no practical way of storing energy generated by turbines.

[jarbury]

I'm a bit mixed on them really. Hydro dams do cause irreversable damage to the environment where they are built. I would look at other options like tidal power and geothermal power, along with power conservation measures too before embarking on significant hydro projects.

But, they are better than fossil fuel plants, they are better than power cuts. So yeah... kinda mixed.

[KIWIKAAS]

The Clutha options

Beaumont and Queensberry seem to have the least impact.

Tuapeka Mouth hydro option


Beaumont hydro option


Queensberry hydro option


Luggate hydro option

[metroman]

Stuff.co.nz/Business Day/Infrastructure/Decision on Lignite Plan Soon.
A feasibility study will be conducted into the viability a $10 billion investment in lignite coal in Southland. If the plan goes ahead it could mean saving on diseal and aviation gas of up to $2-$4 billion per year to New Zealand. This could possibly be the largest infrastructure project conducted in New Zealand. It is anticipated to take between 10-15 years to build.

[jarbury]

Here's a cool website that gives you up to the minute information about power generation across the country:

http://www.em6live.co.nz/

[spotila]

that is indeed a very cool site!

[KIWIKAAS]

Very interesting site jarbury

historical use


current use at 7.00am NZT


dark blue= coal
blue = cogen (whatever that means?)
light blue = gas
dark green = geothermal
light green = hydro
yellow = diesel / oil
light brown =wind

[Kane007]

"COGEN" = co generation - of heat and electricity.

Usually thermal, but instead of releasing the heat into the environment, they use it a 2nd time for greater generation.

[KingKong1]

Originally Posted by metroman

Stuff.co.nz/Business Day/Infrastructure/Decision on Lignite Plan Soon.
A feasibility study will be conducted into the viability a $10 billion investment in lignite coal in Southland. If the plan goes ahead it could mean saving on diseal and aviation gas of up to $2-$4 billion per year to New Zealand. This could possibly be the largest infrastructure project conducted in New Zealand. It is anticipated to take between 10-15 years to build.

This could be huge for NZ, and would be similar to the South African plant run by Sasol which converts coal to fuel, and has been a huge success for that country in reducing the need to import transport fuels. I think under National we will see this advance greatly.

[Svartmetall]

Lignite is dirty coal/brown coal, right? Not very environmentally friendly at all.

[jarbury]

It sure is Svarty. Turning it into diesel sounds like an hugely polluting exercise.