Clean Green NZ – How New Zealand uses renewable energy

There’s no doubt that New Zealand contains some of the most spectacular looking environments in the world, offering those picturesque landscapes, made famous by the Lord of The Rings series. New Zealand has developed an image and reputation as clean, green and has set an example for developed nations to follow. In fact, the country is on its way to achieving 90% renewable energy by 2025. Though it still needs to work on reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.

So, what exactly is New Zealand doing to maintain its majestic natural landscape? And what steps is the country following to keep a carbon footprint? Find out what Kiwis themselves are doing to look after their country, and find out what eco-tourism activities they have on offer as well. Read on to find out as we explore what clean green NZ is doing to look after the planet.

What are renewable energy sources?

These are types of energy that are collected from natural sources, that can usually be replenished naturally within a human time frame. Renewable energy sources come from sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal energy. When these natural sources are harnessed they can generate energy that can continually be replenished – that’s why it’s called renewable. The great thing about renewable energy resources is that they have little or no environmental impact.

Bio diesel is another form of renewable energy, though it is a form of fuel. It’s made from plant oils can be used in diesel engines.  Oils that make up bio diesel include soybean or rapeseed oil, animal fats, waste vegetable oils or micro-algae oils.

What is non-renewable energy?

Non-renewable energy refers to energy that is not easily renewed. It means they come from sources that cannot be replenished within the human time frame. The most common types of non-renewable energy are fossil fuels. These include coal, petroleum and natural gas. These fuels took over 360-300 million years to form, which means it’s impossible to restore these energy sources once they are depleted.

Extracting fossil fuels is relatively inexpensive, though the environmental costs are huge. The burning of fossil fuels is one of the leading causes of the effects of global warming, hence the urgency to find a solution. New Zealand has set a good example in its use of renewable energy, as it sourced 40% of its energy from renewable energy sources in 2015, and is on track for achieving 90% by 2025.

What renewable energy does New Zealand use?

New Zealand employs a variety of renewable resources. Some contribute more to the country’s overall energy use than others, such as hydroelectricity. Whereas others are still emerging as important sources of energy for the country. Here is a list of the top renewable energy sources New Zealand uses.

Hydroelectricity

In New Zealand hydro-electricity is the source of more than half of NZ’s electricity, contributing to a clean green NZ. Hydroelectricity works by driving water through turbines that convert hydraulic energy into electricity. Water from rivers, streams or dams flows into the pipes that turn the turbines and drive the power generators.

Geothermal

This type of energy comes from heat energy that is stored in the ground. It provides 22% of New Zealand’s total energy supply. The way it works is that geothermal power stations pull up geothermal fluid from deep in the earth. The fluid is turned into steam which turns turbines that generate energy.

Wind

Since New Zealand is a massive island in the Pacific, it has great access to wind sources. While it is not a dominant source of energy in New Zealand, it is increasing in its contribution to renewable energy. Wind energy is generated by large wind turbines which have massive blades that are connected to generators. The faster the wind speeds the more the blades turn and the more energy they generate.

Bioenergy

This renewable resource is made from organic material. Biomass can come in various forms: from crops, sewage straw, manure, vegetable fat and rubbish. It is burnt to produce heat energy which can be used directly to generate energy. Another use of biomass is biodiesel, which as an alternative to diesel. An alternative to petrol is ethanol fuel which is another type of biomass. Biomass energy allows consumers to directly contribute to reducing their carbon footprint through their energy choices.

Marine

This is a source of renewable energy in its infancy. It works by harnessing the energy of the waves and tides that surround the coastline. The most common type of marine energy is when tides are used to spin underwater turbines.

Solar

Solar is an amazing renewable energy resource because it is always abundant. Solar energy can be harnessed using solar designed buildings which are meant to heat and cool buildings naturally. The energy can be used in solar heaters, outdoor solar lights and much more! Solar panels NZ are also an effective way to profit from the energy of the sun.

Solar panels NZ

Many people wonder whether it’s worth making the change to get renewable resources like solar panels. Though many kiwis may be reluctant to make the move because they are unsure about the way it works and whether it’s worth the investment. Here we’ll try and clear some of those questions up by explaining exactly how solar panels work, what are the ways you can benefit from them and how much they cost.

• How do solar panels work? One way that solar panels work is by fitting them to your house or property, to capture as much sunlight as possible. The key is to position them in the area of the roof that receives the most sunlight. Light energy then hits the solar panels and stimulates electrons in a semiconducting material present within the panel. The movement of the electrons then creates an electric current.
• What about flexible solar panels? These flexible solar panels are new and effective concept in regards to renewable energy. They are made up of thin silicon wafers that are slightly thicker than a human hair. The thinness of the solar panels are developments where rather than being a flat static panel, the flexible solar panels allow flexible movement. The benefit of using flexible solar panels is that they are much thinner than traditional solar panels, meaning they have a thinner profile on the roof and they are much easier to transport.
• What is a solar heater? New Zealand residents can benefit from solar panels in many ways. One of these benefits is solar heating. The solar panels heat the water that falls into a storage tank which eliminates the need for electric and gas heating systems. It’s an incredibly cost-effective way to heat water in your home. You can find either active solar water heating systems or passive solar water heating systems.

What are the benefits of solar panels NZ?

There are plenty of benefits you can get from using solar panels. There are benefits to the individual, to society and to the planet, here is a list of some of the main benefits.

• Helps to reduce global warming – The main benefit is that it is good for the planet as it helps to slow down the process of global warming. The rising of the planet’s temperatures has a lot do with the burning of fossil fuels. Using solar panels as an alternative source of energy will, therefore, reduce the need to use fossil fuels, resulting in less heating of the earth’s atmosphere.
• It saves society billions of dollars – One important benefit that solar panels give to society is that they are huge money savers. The idea of solar panels is to provide homes and businesses with natural energy. Therefore, lowering the environmental effects of global warming and saving money on the cost of electricity.
• Solar panels NZ residents can save you money – Research shows that installing solar panels on your roof will help you save tens of thousands of dollars over a 20-year period.
• Energy independence – One great benefit of solar panels is that it gives you independence – energy independence that is. What that means is you don’t have to depend on your energy provider. A large benefit of solar energy is that it is freely available, and if you can harness it with the use of solar panels NZ, you are allowing yourself the security of not depending on what happens with the mainstream energy companies.
• Solar power creates employment opportunities – Another great way that solar panels can benefit society is through the creation of jobs. Statistics suggest that for every $1,000,000 that consumers invest in solar energy, 14 jobs are created. This may not seem like a lot but compare this to natural gas operations, where every $1,000,000 spent creates only 5 jobs.

What are the disadvantages of solar panels NZ?

While there are some clear advantages of using solar energy, like with anything there are some drawbacks. Though with the solar power system there aren’t many disadvantages.

• Sun doesn’t shine 24/7 – Unless you live in a far north Nordic location in peak summer season, the sun does not shine for 24 hours throughout the day. That means when the sun sets, solar panels stop producing electricity. Therefore, if households require electricity through the night, it must come from another source. So, the downside is that, at the moment, we cannot be 100% reliant on solar energy.

What other ways New Zealand is creating a clean green NZ

New Zealand makes large contributions towards caring for the planet by using an increasing amount of renewable energy. Furthermore, there are also various other activities that Kiwis engage in to try and expand this care even further.

• Planting 100 million trees per year.
• Spending more government money on cycleways and public transport.
• Adopting the 3 R’s mantra: reduce, reuse, recycle.

What can kiwis do to maintain a clean green NZ?

As mentioned above, the New Zealand government is taking some significant steps towards achieving a cleaner greener NZ. Though there are some things the average Kiwi can do to work towards achieving a more sustainable New Zealand.

Recycling – This a great way for everyone to contribute to a clean green NZ. Make sure to properly dispose of plastic bottles, glass, tin and cardboard in proper recycling bins at recycling stations. Avoid using plastic bags, and try to reuse water bottles.

Dispose of waste sensibly – Use a designated dump station to dispose of things that you wish to through away, but are too big to fit in the rubbish bin. Don’t litter – get rid of waste by throwing them out in proper waste bins.

Conserve water – Use water conservatively to avoid wasting water. You can do this by taking shorter showers, using more energy efficient washing machines, dishwashers or by installing water saving taps.

Commuting eco-friendly – Instead of driving to work which produces greenhouse emissions, there are many other ways you can get around that is much better for the environment:

• Take public transport,
• Walk or cycle to work, and
• Carpool.

Conserve energy – Using less electricity in the household contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Kiwis can save electricity by turning off electricity when it’s not being used and turning off lights when not in the room.

What can tourists do to maintain a clean green NZ?

Not only can New Zealand residents maintain a clean green NZ, but tourists can play a role in preserving New Zealand’s natural beauty. Tourists can enjoy a variety of eco-tourism activities. Some of these include:

• Kayak to the penguin reserve at Akaroa Peninsula,
• Visit the glow worm caves at Waitomo,
• Swim with wild NZ fur seals,
• Get in introduction to New Zealand’s native Kiwi bird,
• Hiking tour of New Zealand landscapes,
• Bird watching tours at Stewart Island, and
• Eco boat cruises across the Milford Sound.

As you can see, there are many activities that Kiwis are doing to maintain a clean green NZ. From their use of renewable energy and solar panels to government campaigns of planting trees, New Zealand clearly cares about keeping their country green. There are many ways for their residents to contribute to preserving NZ’s natural beauty, though there are also ways for tourists to get involved too.