Remote New Zealand Tidal Power Project
May 31st, 2007By 2013, power companies will have the option of cutting off power distribution to “unprofitable” parts of New Zealand.
Will the lights go out in the Hokianga?
No.
You see, the simple and sane solutions become possible once a place isn’t profitable anymore.
I N C R E D I B L E !
Power crisis.
Tell me another one.
Via: stuff.co.nz / Northnern News:
Tidal turbines in the Hokianga Harbour could power up to 1000 homes, saving residents money and securing power supplies to remote areas facing an uncertain energy future.
A working party exploring renewable energy options in the Far North says marine currents at The Narrows, Te Karaka Point, Rangi Point and North Head may be swift enough to generate up to 2.5 megawatts of electricity.
The tidal power scheme is one of several generation schemes that could be embedded in the district’s electricity network, says working party member Dr Zuben Weeds.
Similar schemes, using wind and hydro power, could be modelled on the Hokianga project if it proves viable, says Mr Weeds, a Waikato University energy researcher.
“An objective of this project is to develop a model community- distributed generation scheme that could supply up to 1000 houses in the Far North through Top Energy’s network,” he says.
There are two good reasons for developing the schemes in Northland, he says.
Domestic electricity prices in the region have risen by 65 percent since 1999, adding $725 to household power bills, while prices nationally have gone up by an average of 39 percent.
“For many Far North households, the increase in power costs is significant because incomes in these areas are lower than the national median income,” says Mr Weeds.
Generating power locally would reduce loads on the national grid at Auckland, which Transpower predicts will exceed capacity by 2013, he says.
It would also secure electricity supplies in isolated areas where it is not economic for Top Energy to maintain power lines.
Under present law, the line company won’t have to maintain uneconomic power lines after 2013.
“In effect, the distribution line to a remote area may potentially deteriorate to the point where it cannot carry electricity.”
The Hokianga project could take at least five years to complete if it goes ahead, Mr Weeds says.
Partners in the project would likely be the Far North District Council, Te Runanga O Te Rarawa, Scottish firm Gentec Venturi, Waikato University and Kerikeri firms Small Hydro Enterprises and IES Construction.
Capital funds could come from an $8 million government fund for marine power schemes.
“As we are one of the only groups looking at small-scale generation for remote communities, we have a good chance of being successful once the grant applications open,” Mr Weeds says.
Hope it happens. I’m looking to move up to the Kerikeri area in the summer. Hoping to get my own farmlet.
The big problems with these projects are:
1) Resource Consents – take up to 5 years and cost many bribes to local groups
2) Nobody makes the turbines (one off prototypes don’t count) – tidal is more than 30 years behind wind. The East River NYC project by Verdant has been vaporware for years, still undergoing trials.
3) Big capital is not interested in funding it
Crest Energy http://www.crest-energy.com claimed to be working on getting a consent for a tidal project for Kaipara Harbour. Their website hasn’t been updated in 6 months.
I agree that alternatives for generating electricity are viable on a local scale (provided the locals exercise some sane consumption habits). Do you think this will work much beyond the household level, say manufacturing or transportation? In the right circumstances, I could see it, but then again, I’m a little dubious as to the possibility of powering St.Louis (where I live) just with wind,solar, and hydro – not at current levels of usage. It just seems to me that it would be far more feasible for an indivual or two to rig up a micro-hydro setup that powers some lights, a small fridge, radio, etc. Do you and Becky rely on grid power. If it got cut off, do you guys have a bcakup in place? Just wondering.
– Mike Lorenz
Doesn’t there exist something like this in the Neatherlands?
Hi Kevin, What would be the impact to your farmlet if the power were cut, either tomorrow or in 2013?
Do you think the increasing cost of energy will lead to a migration of the billions of people on earth to rural energy self-sufficient lifestyles (possibly requiring urban dieoff ala Detroit), or will they migrate to compact, walking-enabled, energy generating high-density housing (possibly requiring rural dieoff ala Darfur)?
Looks like David de Rothschild is going for door number 1 in NZ:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4064708a10.html
David de Rothschild, part of the family behind Rothschild & Compagnie Banque, bought the 442ha Hickory Bay farm for a reported $2.69 million in 2002
And the Desert Oil barons are going for door number 2 in Dubai:
http://www.dynamicarchitecture.net/
Nice catch, Kevin.
I’ll be keeping an eye on this one to see where it goes.