Renewable electricity generation hits 26-year high

The share of electricity generated from renewable sources hit a 26-year high in the final quarter of 2021 after sizeable increases in hydro and wind generation, according to data published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

The latest New Zealand Energy Quarterly covers October-December 2021, and provides quarterly data and analysis on energy supply, demand, prices and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

The strong quarter for renewables led to a sharp decline in non-renewable sources of electricity generation.

Coal generation was down 72 per cent on the same period a year earlier and gas generation was down more than 28 per cent. The share of electricity generated from coal was a little over 1 per cent – the lowest for a quarter since 1997.

Read the New Zealand Energy Quarterly