Explosion in renewable electricity proposals

Explosion in renewable electricity proposals
Solar installations are cost-competitive with wind farms now. (Image: Vector)
Pattrick Smellie
Skyrocketing inquiries from would-be builders of renewable electricity generation have prompted the national grid operator, Transpower, to create a new dashboard and queuing system to cope with the deluge.Transpower used to receive between five and 10 new grid connection inquiries a year, but it received a whopping 120 in the 2022 financial year and is now tracking some 323 inquiries covering projects equivalent to 34,753 megawatts (MW) of new installed capacity.The vast majority (78%) of these expect construction between now and 2025 and anoth...

More Infrastructure

Leighs opts out of Scott Base build
Infrastructure

Leighs opts out of Scott Base build

The Antarctic contractor is focused on offices, healthcare and apartments.

Two housing projects snare first fast-track panels
Policy

Two housing projects snare first fast-track panels

Applications opened on Feb 7. Now we have our first panels.

Oliver Lewis 08 May 2025
Methanex secures winter electricity supply again
Infrastructure

Methanex secures winter electricity supply again

Electricity generators are anxious to avoid winter power price spikes.

Pattrick Smellie 08 May 2025
Transpower proposes $1.4b replacement for ageing Cook Strait electricity cables
Infrastructure

Transpower proposes $1.4b replacement for ageing Cook Strait electricity cables

Transpower is proposing a $1.4 billion spend on replacing the ageing electricity cables linking the North and South Islands across the Cook Strait.The state-owned power transmission company released a consultation paper today setting out its proposals to replace key components of...

Staff reporters 07 May 2025