A clean energy centre has
recently been launched in New Zealand to facilitate the growth of renewable
energy use across the country. Situated in a region that produces 75% more
clean energy than it uses, the centre is perfectly located to achieve this
goal. The Taupo region produces 1,500 megawatts (MW) of clean energy annually,
from a combination of geothermal and hydro resources. The region, however, only
uses a total of 20 MW of energy annually, and all of it clean energy.

Launch: New Zealand Clean Energy
Centre

EcoGeneration — November/December
2011 issue:

A clean energy centre has
recently been launched in New Zealand to facilitate the growth of renewable
energy use across the country. Situated in a region that produces 75 per cent
more clean energy than it uses, the centre is perfectly located to achieve this
goal.

The New Zealand Clean Energy
Centre (NZ CEC), opened in May 2011, is located at Lake Taupo on New Zealand’s
North Island. The Centre is a source of funds, advice, technology and services
designed to accelerate the path-to-implementation for renewable energy
projects, with an initial focus on geothermal and biomass projects. The
building also acts as a host for offices, and as an exhibit and events centre –
the latter of which were put to the test in October when the New Zealand Clean
Energy Expo was held the Centre.

The NZ CEC, a non-commercial
institution, received a NZ$2 million grant for its development, from the New
Zealand Trade and Enterprise agency.

Accelerating renewables in NZ

The NZ CEC has been established
to help accelerate the adoption of clean energy solutions in New Zealand, and
plans to implement these in a number of ways, including:

Clustering clean energy companies
in a collaborative environment. Stage 1 of the of NZ CEC building has office
space for nine companies, while Stage 2 will double that capacity •The building
features three solar hot water systems, three micro wind turbines, two solar
electric systems, a geothermal heating system, a short rotation energy crop
irrigated with waste water from the building, and an electric vehicle charging
station. Plans to add more demonstration technologies over the years ahead are
also in place

•Providing a focal point for clean energy
events, such as the New Zealand Clean Energy Expo, and acting as a public venue
for conferences in a clean energy environment

•Conceiving and facilitating projects aimed at
converting industrial and institutional users of fossil fuels to either biomass
or geothermal energy for process heat

•Facilitating the transfer of innovative clean
energy technology solutions from overseas markets into the New Zealand
marketplace

•Connecting New Zealand clean energy
innovators with partners, markets and funding sources

•Offering public tours, education services and
independent advice on renewable energy.

NZ CEC goals for the 21st century

Primary goals for the NZ CEC
include seeing more geothermal heat being used for direct use applications and
more biomass being used to displace coal or gas in industrial boilers, since
biomass is renewable and carbon neutral.

The NZ CEC also hopes to awaken
students of all ages to the world of clean energy, hopefully inspiring them to
either pursue a career in the field, to adopt clean energy solutions as part of
their future lifestyles and to encourage their parents to explore clean energy
solutions.

Other goals include accelerating
the adoption of electric vehicles in New Zealand and attracting existing clean
energy companies, as well as innovative start-up companies to establish
themselves in the Taupo region.

Outstanding energy efficiency in
Taupo

The Taupo region produces 1,500
megawatts (MW) of clean energy annually, from a combination of geothermal and
hydro resources. The region, however, only uses a total of 20 MW of energy
annually, and all of it clean energy.

Therefore, the NZ CEC believes
they are the only region in the world that can claim that all of the energy
produced in the region is clean, and that they produce 75 times more clean
energy than they use. By establishing the NZ CEC in Taupo, the NZ CEC aims to
allow Taupo to benefit from the fastest-growing market of this century, which
will therefore contribute to the economic wellbeing of the region.

Upcoming NZ CEC projects

The NZ CEC is involved in a
number of projects in the near future, including:

•The launch of the Association
for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles

•Exploring the potential for establishing an
off-grid housing community in Taupo

•Facilitating the conversion of a meat
processing plant from gas to biomass for their boiler fuel, and in the process
helping them dispose of their own waste streams in an environmentally-friendly
way

•Facilitating geothermal direct use projects

•Advising owners or tenants of new industrial
developments that will maximise their green credentials.

Source: www.ecogeneration.com.au