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We already have massive storage in New Zealand - our existing hydro lakes. What we need is solar installations. Reducing outflows is exactly the same as increa
by robocat 2y ago
We already have massive storage in New Zealand - our existing hydro lakes.
What we need is solar installations. Reducing outflows is exactly the same as increasing storage.
AFAIK the problem is that regulations (plus the obligation to kowtow to maori interests) is preventing solar installations from going ahead. It isn't an issue of money, because I happen to know one private enterprise happy to invest half a billion to build out utility solar if they could get the necessary approvals. It isn't due to our conservative government - the same problem occurred under Labour+Greens. And our lakes when full can hold months of storage - in theory they would only need to spill for irrigation or ecological reasons or maybe during short flood periods.
- beachy 2y ago> AFAIK the problem is that regulations (plus the obligation to kowtow to maori interests) is preventing solar installations from going ahead. You'll have to be more specific than that dodgy statement, it kind of undermines your good point. What obligations are you referring to, outside the resource management regime, which is most definitely "regulations"?
- robocat 2y agoI'm not involved with the project so I can't give you more than the vague impression I got as an outsider. My general experience is that the NZ government tends to think big and blow money on wasteful initiatives while not identifying clearly advantageous initiatives and backing those (or otherwise encouraging the good stuff). That said, I have been pleasantly surprised with the broadband rollout (which helped during COVID).