Channel looks to solar, due to rising energy costs

Channel Infrastructure head Naomi James says rising electricity costs could drive her company off-grid. (Image: Channel)

Ian Llewellyn

Thu, 18 Aug 2022

Higher energy prices have driven Channel Infrastructure to revive the idea of building a solar farm on the site of the former Marsden Point oil refinery and possibly drop off the national electricity grid.Channel was born out of Refining New Zealand after it closed the refinery and became primarily an importer of refined oil products.Its electricity use has dropped by about 85% since the change, but it still uses about 35-gigawatt hours (GWh) a year.Chief executive Naomi James said the power bill for Channel is now about $10 million a year, spl...

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