Geothermal and Wind Power Generation in New Zealand - Coursework Example

Geothermal and Wind Power Generation in New Zealand Geothermal and Wind Power Generation in New Zealand ID. Number: of the Program: Number of the Program: Module: Date of Submission: Table of Contents 1. Abstract………………………………………………………………….………3 2. Introduction…………………………………………………………….………..4 3. Methodology………………………………………………………….………….5 4. Results……………………………………………………………………………6 5. Discussion………………………………………………………………………..7 6. Conclusions and Recommendations……………………………………………..8 7. Signage………………………………………………………………..………...14 8. References…………………………………………………………………….....15 9. Glossary…………………………………………………………………………..16 10. Appendix…………………………………………………………………………..17 11. Questions………………………………………………………………………….18 Abstract The main objective of the report is to look at the efficiency associated with the geothermal and wind power in New Zealand, both economically and environmentally. This means that there is the need to speed up the production of advanced energy strategies, which will address the world challenges by mitigating climate change, provision of clean energy, and sustainable development in the energy sector in New Zealand. Geothermal energy and wind energy generation do not require any utilization of fuel, therefore, insensitive to the world fluctuation in fuel prices (Rybach, 2006). These forms of energies become more admirable in the sector energy with the escalating fuel practices around the world. Geothermal power and wind generation play a key role in New Zealand renewable energy industry because of its attractive costs and reliability of the two sources of energies. The geothermal and the wind energy generation meet the economic and environmental demands of the 21st century without compromising the existence of the future generations. The two sources of energies have the capabilities of contributing to sustainable use of energy in New Zealand. The research methodology used to find the results of the study is the datasets, which are maintained by the government of New Zealand on energy information, which include the Energy Domain Plan 2006-2016, Energy Data File, and Energy End-Use Database. The study found out that there was little funding of geothermal and wind power energy plants. Therefore, there is need for the New Zealand government to review the strategy of establishing Energy Efficiency programs. The study also found that there was little synchronization of responsibilities for energy efficiency strategies, delivery, and implementation processes (Bertani, 2010). Introduction The paper takes into consideration the lack of flexibility to structure, implementation and development of energy efficiency programs in generation of wind power and geothermal energies. The lack of flexibility in the development and implementation of policies and strategies is not favorable in relation to attaining the set objectives of producing clean energy and eco-friendly energy. There was little funding to the ongoing developments and researches programs, which lead to optimal achievement in the sector of energy to achieve the set objectives of speculating that the wind power and geothermal plants will produce 55% of the total country’s energy production. The importance of the study on the efficient energy production is that geothermal and wind energy production use renewable energy resources to produce electricity at the same time producing low-level carbon emissions. This plays a significant role in realizing objectives in energy security, extenuating climatic change, and economic development. The lack of flexibility in articulation of programs, which will lead to efficient production of energy and poor funding by the government, will allow the stakeholders to push the government to form the relevant body within the energy sector to foresee the implementation and improve energy efficiency in New Zealand. The government of New Zealand has outlined a number of goals and strategies to ensure that there is efficiency in production of energy using geothermal and wind power means. The New Zealand Energy Strategy (NZES), which was published in 2007, provides the state leadership for the energy sector to respond to the challenges of flexibility in production of energy through geothermal and wind power (Hamza, 2008). It also advises the government to respond and provide solutions to long term problems of energy security and the issue of climate change. The strategy document stresses the need for the government to allocate more funds and invest in efficiency measures and strategies in production of energy in wind power and geothermal stations. According to the document, this proposal was cheaper than the long-term expenses of building extra production capacity, which comprises environmental costs. The other energy efficiency goal needs that the country should fully adopt is the renewable energy forms, which are eco-friendly unless in circumstances which the government wants to maintain security of supply. The limitation of this research is that it does not use primary sources, thus the information gathered can be that much reliable and less accurate (Bertani, 2010). Methodology The main method used to collect data was carrying interview .The interview’s title was Graeme Teasdale and the format of the interview is attached to the report. The other method of data collection and monitoring is based on the datasets obtained in a number of available data in the energy sector. The research employs the use of the following sources: Energy Domain Plan 2006-2016, Energy Data File, Energy Efficiency Potentials Modeling to 2030, and Energy Efficiency Trends and Monitoring. The Energy Domain Plan 2006-2016 assesses the present condition of energy data and recommends priority strategies for filling the energy data voids. It provides comprehensive work strategies across the responsible institutions in the geothermal and wind power generation plants, which comprise of a wide range of actions geared towards promoting the reliability, comprehensiveness, and significance of energy data. The plan aims at progressing cycle of energy and uses surveys across all sectors. The Energy Data File (EDF) provides the yearly data and facts on New Zealand‘s energy sector statistics, which include supply and demand of the renewable energies such as wind and geothermal energies (Hamza, 2008). Results The aim of the study was to provide efficient energy strategy, which entails production of low-carbon base-load power, employing use of low energy thus less costs in production. The results of the interview are found in the attachment. The geothermal and wind energies provide efficient ways both in economical and environmental considerations. The two forms of energies ensure that the cost of production was low and that they have low –impact on the environment. The study found that by 2060, the geothermal and wind energies could produce about 10,000 MWh annually thus minimizing approximately 800megatones of emissions annually, which was a score to the environment as shown in the graph below. By the end of 2030 in New Zealand, the use of geothermal and wind energies will be on its optimum and every household will be using it for domestic purposes. This is because the wind and geothermal plants will produce almost 75% of the total energy from the renewable sources (Bertani, 2010).The other finding is that by 2050, more than half of the speculated increase in the growth of the energy sector will come from the geothermal and wind power plants. This means that to make the finding more viable, there is the need for the government to increase research, demonstration and development. The finding of the research also found that holistic approach to policies in the energy sector are needed to address the technological obstacles, which relate to resource allocation to foster the needed technologies in undertaking the needed programs in geothermal and wind power plants. There is also the need for the policy makers, utilities, and implementers within the energy sector to be informed on the wide range of resources within the geothermal and wind power and their probable application. The findings also showed that it is significant to carry out further research and development priorities on financial implications and environmental effects of production to develop necessary policies to manage health, safety, and environmental issues (Hamza, 2008). The graph below shows the New Zealand’s power projection from wind and Geothermal generation by the year 2060. Scale: Vertical Axis: 1 Unit represents 5 years The diagram above geothermal plant which operational outside Reykjavik in, New Zealand, 2003. The diagram above shows new geothermal plant which is drilled in North of Taupo, New Zealand, 2007. The figure above is a geothermal plant in Wairakei region, New Zealand, 2008. The illustration above showed wind power generation station situated in New Zealand, in Scott base, 2010. The figure above shows a wind mill motor in South Island, New Zealand, 2005. Discussions The discussion part of the research will highlight the efficiency of the renewable sources of energy such as wind and geothermal energy to the nation of New Zealand and to the global community as per the Graeme Teesdale . The interview also touches on the cost –efficiency of geothermal power and wind power as compared to other forms of non-renewable energies, therefore presents this forms of energies as sustainable. The strategies and mitigation, which are both environmental and economical will impact greatly on the development of the renewable plants around the world because the renewable plants have proved to be cheap and environment friendly. The interview has provided the government of New Zealand efficient strategies do deal with the energy sector and to respond to the challenges of flexibility in production of energy through geothermal and wind power. The energy from geothermal and wind are used mainly for industrial purposes, however, little amount of this energy is used for domestic purposes. The government therefore explores other cheap methods of generating, thus geothermal and wind power is the best. It also advises the government to respond and provide solutions, which are long term to guarantee energy security and mitigate the issue of climate change. The results of the research indicated that when the projects on both geothermal and wind power plants are complete, there will be global production of electricity to about 3.5% and 75% in New Zealand. This means that the energy production will have been increased and the cost incurred would be low. There will be also reduced of carbon emissions into the atmosphere thus reduced climate change issue. By 2050, more countries will adopt the use of geothermal and wind power energies due to its low cost of production and also due to least effect to the environment. The need to embrace the technological advances in the field of energy is significant. There is need to restructure the energy policies to ensure that the industry respond to the challenges of expansion of the industry. Technology within the industry will ensure that the stakeholders can carry continuous research and development to unveil new strategies of coping with the current challenges in the energy sector. The policy makers and stakeholders in the industry need to understand the full range of available resources within the disposition of wind power and geothermal energy to utilize all the products from the plants. There was the need to develop elaborate research and development to develop new approaches of improving the sector (Bertani, 2010). Conclusions and Recommendations From the interview and secondary research, wind energy and geothermal energies are efficient both environmentally and economically. The research has presented both geothermal and wind power energy as forms of renewable energies, which need to be adopted by the global nations. This is because the two forms of energies have an array of benefits to the world (Rybach, 2006). The two energy resources do not need any energy to operate hence; it means that they are cheap to operate thus less costly as compared to other sources of energy hence cost-effective. In addition, the two sources of energy produce minimal emissions thus environmental friendly. The limitation of the report is on the methodology because it depends only on secondary sources of collecting data thus making it unreliable and less accurate. The recommendations are: 1. The energy sector in New Zealand should ensure that the structure and development of energy efficiency approaches is anchored on relevant facts from the user database. 2. The government of New Zealand should develop a long term strategies to ensure there is proper funding mechanisms within the sector to avoid underfunding of the key sectors. 3. The government should ensure they educate the public the importance of using the renewable sources in the 21st century. 4. The government should solicit funds from the global community to complete the wind and geothermal projects. 5. There is need to develop forms of energies which are cost-effective and the government should other forms of renewable energies. 6. The government should allocate more resources for producing geothermal power and wind power because they are more expensive to undertake. Word Count: 2267 Signage Sign: Contact: Date of Completion: References Bertani, R. (2010). Geothermal Power Generation in the World .Cambridge: Springer. Bertani, R. and I. Thain (2002),”Geothermal Power .Generating Plant CO2 Emission Survey”, IGA News,Vol. 49, pp. 1-3. Hamza, M., & Ponte, N. (2008). “Spherical Harmonic Analysis of Earth’s Conductive Heat Flow”, International Journal of Earth Sciences, Vol. 97, No. 2, pp. 205-226, (DOI: 10.1007/s0). Isaacs, G. & Jowett, J. (2006). Energy Use in New Zealand Households – HEEP Year 10 Report. Porirua: BRANZ Ltd. Jing,P.(2010). Energy, Science and Technology in China: A Roadmap to 2050. Beijing: Springer/Science Press Beijing. Rybach, L. (2006). “Geothermal Sustainability: A Review with Identified Research Needs”. New York, NY: GRC Transactions. Glossary Geothermal energy-This is a form of energy which is tapped from underground in form of steam due to hot underground material. Renewable energy –Energy which can be recycled for example wind and geothermal energy. Efficiency- Capacity of a given energy to affect less to the environment in terms of pollutions and involve less operations costs of the project. Appendix EEPM-Energy Efficiency Potentials Models NZ-New Zealand EDF-Energy Data File NZES-New Zealand Energy Strategy EDP-Energy Domain Plan The data was obtained interview resources found in the energy sector and other energy groups interested in the research. The images on geothermal and wind energy plants images were obtained from the department of energy. The wind and geothermal powers will produce 75% of the total energy required from renewable sources of energy by 2050 and contribute to 3.5 % of the total global energy. The horizontal scale begins at 1 which represents 2015 while 10 on the same scale represent 2060 QUESTIONS 1. Why renewable sources of energies have been adopted by many nations globally? 2. Does New Zealand have the needed capital to complete the geothermal plant before 2030? 3. Does the anticipated energy production in New Zealand provide of the total energy needed in the country? Explain. 4. What are the negative effects of the geothermal plant to the other sectors of economy? 5. Do the renewable sources of energy have impact on the environment? And if yes specify. 6. What are the strategies needed for New Zealand to address the energy issue in the country? 7. State the four roles played by Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency. 8. What are the other three sectors which contribute to the welfare of the energy sector? 9. Has the New Zealand government committed its resources to the development of energy industry? 10. State three recommendations which is needed by the New Zealand government to develop the geothermal and wind power plants? 11. What is the key responsibility of Ministry of Economic Development? 12. How does Non-Governmental Organizations contribute to the energy sector in New Zealand? INTERVIEWERS NAME: GRAEME TEESDALE. Q1-Why did geothermal power generation become popular? AI-Geothermal became popular in fifties. At that state electricity is mostly generated from hydropower and the government is looking for other resources to generate energy and at that time geothermal energy was introduced. Wind power was introduced in last 10 years. Q2-How sustainable are geothermal and wind power? A2-Sustainable geothermal power are taken from the ground and oases through the turbines and again ejected to the ground so it is sustainable and in terms or environment it is good as t does not produced any pollution. It is free from pollution. Wind power is only good if we have wind, but it keeps fluctuating we must explore other resources. So geothermal is constant source or energy so it is better than wind energy. Q3-How cost efficient geothermal energy and wind energy? A3-In terms of cost-efficiency, wind power is expensive. The geothermal power or wind power are very expensive to construct however geothermal is less expensive than wind power, but more expensive than hydropower form of energy. Q4-How much electricity in NZ is generated by geothermal and wind? A4-Geothermal power is increasing all the time. It produces around 1000 MW whereas wind power produces 250 MW and in next 5 years it is estimated to produce 500 MW. Q5-How viable are geothermal and wind energy production for domestic use? A5-Geothermal energy production is mostly for the industrial use. It often focuses on industrial use; however it also used for domestic purposes. Q6-How can the government increase the use of geothermal and wind energy? A6-NZ geothermal does not say much about geothermal they just give different power which one would be better. They preferred by hydropower or geothermal rather than burning coal. Geothermal is stable. Q7-How can the government among NZ about geothermal? A7-Government just asks for environmentally friendly powers. They just give plans and land for production or geothermal energy. Read More