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Jonathan Young shows his enthusiasm for nuclear energy
NOTICE: National MP Jonathan Young recently celebrated the possibility of Todd Energy spending $ 100 million to build a new state-of-the-art gas-fired plant in Taranaki.
He also showed the same enthusiasm for nuclear energy. He recently asked the Minister of Energy to consider building a plant here even in New Zealand without nuclear
Young is wrong – on both points – but let's focus on the reasons why a new gas-fired plant The plant will be a $ 100 million mistake for New Zealand
HENRY COOKE / FAIRFAX NZ
The Greenpeace activist Amanda Larsson
A quick look at what is happening in Australia or the United States should give the alarm to anyone with an interest in this project.
READ MORE: Jonathan Young: Why the power plant is not a good option. Government should be relieved A new gas-fired power plant
The State of California has canceled its well-established plans to build new gas stakes as a powerful combination of solar panels, batteries and management demand can already do the job cheaply. Instead, they decided to place solar panels in completely new homes
GRANT MATTHEW / STUFF
National deputy and spokesperson for energy and resources Jonathan Young supports the construction of a 100 million gas-fired power plant dollars to New Plymouth.
The famous Tesla battery of South Australia was installed in less than 100 days. It has already created significant cost savings for energy consumers by surpassing the production of expensive gas.
The global renewable energy boom is great news for a region like Taranaki, where the workforce has unique skills in the energy sector. Taranaki could become a hub for clean energy jobs. We could build offshore wind farms along the coast and solar panels on people's rooftops.
Countries investing in clean energy now find more opportunities here than in oil, gas and mining. The two most dynamic professions in America are solar installers and wind turbine technicians, and the International Renewable Energy Agency says that solar is already creating twice as many jobs as coal or solar power. the gas per unit of electricity. Amanda … "title =" "src =" https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/q/0/b/x/g/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620×349. 1qsk0d.png / 1531452343709.jpg "class =" photoborder "/>
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Our current energy system is based on gas and coal power plants that will operate on cold winter nights, writes Amanda Larsson of Greenpeace. Aotearoa.
All these market signals show that investors should be wary of Todd's plans for this $ 100 million. It is a project that will create only six new jobs and that could, at first glance, become obsolete almost as soon as it is built.
Put aside the economy for a moment, let us also consider the fragile climate that supports life on this earth. Earth. In order to protect ourselves from the storms, floods and droughts that accompany climate change, our country has set itself the ambition to wipe out our climate pollution. We decided to stop looking for more carbon intensive fuels. Instead, we are committed to producing 100% of our electricity from clean renewable sources by 2035.
This raises the question of a hundred million dollars: why would anyone spend there as much money to build a property? years? Proponents of the Todd Energy project must be sure that New Zealanders are not serious about creating a safe future for our children.
No one would disagree that all Kiwi children deserve to grow up in a warm, healthy home. But the rising cost of electricity now means that three out of ten families can not afford to give their children this basic right. Our current energy system relies on expensive gas and coal power plants to run on cold winter nights. This pushes up household prices exactly when they need them most, causing energy companies to die.
Building more expensive advanced power plants can increase the profits of power companies, but that is not the solution. We need to help families isolate the 600,000 New Zealand homes that have nothing between planks to keep warm when temperatures drop.
It is about helping people and communities to produce their own solar energy and store it in batteries so that they can use it when they have it the most need. All of these things reduce the peak demand for electricity while keeping energy bills affordable.
Of course, helping families heat their homes and reduce their costs does not increase the net profits of the electricity companies. This is why energy utilities are still talking about building advanced gas plants. These factories drive up the price of electricity and are paid for by household bills.
New Zealand is a country that prides itself on agility, innovation, roll up its sleeves and do it ourselves. We should not accept a future based on the same obsolete and expensive technology. It is time to embrace the transformational opportunities of a society propelled by new clean technologies and how we can use it to improve our lives.
Amanda Larsson is a climate and energy activist at Greenpeace Aotearoa, New Zealand.
– Daily News from Taranaki
