Jump in green power

New Zealand achieved 91 per cent renewable electricity generation in the June 2023 quarter for a 10 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Data released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) in its latest energy quarterly report provides data and analysis on supply, demand, prices and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

“This is the highest renewable electricity generation percentage achieved for any June quarter since records began in 1980,” says Mike Hayward, manager of MBIE’s group for markets in the digital, data and insights group.

“April to June’s high renewable figure this year was driven by high rainfall levels topping up hydro lakes. The completion of the Turitea wind farm [pictured] also contributed to our wind-generation share of the mix.

“Hydro generation was up by 25.2 per cent on the June 2022 quarter, while coal generation was down 71.7 per cent and gas generation was down 45.7 per cent compared to the same period last year.

“This quarter also saw an increase in net gas production, up 9.4 per cent, and a drop in industrial coal use, down 22.6 per cent on the same quarter last year.”