Cleaner options and opportunities are emerging for process heat

The Minister for Climate Change has welcomed a report from Transpower examining New Zealand’s future energy options.

“The report, ‘Taking the climate heat out of process heat’, clearly shows we can move the country’s biggest user of coal to cleaner options,” said James Shaw.

“Transpower’s report says big reductions in greenhouse gases can be found in an activity that has been one of the fastest-growing contributors to our emissions profile,” Mr Shaw said.

Process heat relates to any activity that generates heat to warm spaces or to manufacture products.

It is used throughout the economy – from milk powder and other food production to heating schools and hospitals and sterilising equipment to producing steel and aluminium.

“The Productivity Commission and the independent Climate Change Committee have both said transport and process heat are two key areas where emissions need to come down soonest and fastest,” said James Shaw.