New Zealand should continue down bioenergy path believes Greenpeace

A new report looking at renewable energy use in New Zealand believes the potential for industry and economy boosts is huge.

The report, published by Greenpeace and based on scientific modelling by experts in New Zealand, Europe and Australia, states its economy could be given a multi-million dollar injection and create thousands of jobs via bioenergy and geothermal industries over the next 20 to 25 years.

The country’s bioenergy industry, if it continues to grow, could save it NZ$7 billion (€4.3 billion) from lessing the burden on foreign oil imports by 2035. It could also support 27,000 jobs by utilising the country’s forestry industry as feedstock provision.

The report believes New Zealand has ‘the natural resources and people’ to create ‘huge wealth…by creating an economy based on 100% renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable transport.’

'Using our clean energy industries to keep our lights on and power our businesses, won’t just keep our air fresh and our water pure. It will also power a fresh wave of jobs and prosperity for our country,’ Simon Boxer, head of the Greenpeace energy campaign, was quoted as saying. ‘The only people who could possibly think this is a bad idea are foreign oil barons sitting in places like Texas and Saudi Arabia.’