Hawke’s Bay forestry waste could power renewable energy

Friday 20 Dec 2024

 
Hawke’s Bay’s forestry waste could be transformed into commercial biofuel with demand for biomass set to grow as the region makes the switch to clean energy. A new report, published by EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority), shows the significant role currently unused forestry residues could play as the region reduces its reliance on fossil fuels. Up to 94% of the region’s energy needed for heat used in the meat, industrial and commercial sectors could be met by local biomass. 

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Energy Transition Accelerator (RETA) report provides insight and recommendations that will help streamline technology and infrastructure investments for local businesses and energy suppliers and cut carbon at the same time. “ Forestry owners and biomass suppliers in Hawke’s Bay can expect significant demand for wood fuel as the region looks toward new, renewable energy solutions for industrial processing,” said EECA Group Manager Delivery and Partnerships, Richard Briggs.”

“Hawke’s Bay is a forestry-rich region with a lot of unutilised wood residue – it is clear there is significant commercial opportunity for forest owners. Locally sourced biomass for industry will be a win-win for the region; creating a market for the product means there will be less residue left on hillsides, increased regional energy security, and a renewable, cost-efficient fuel.”

The Hawke’s Bay RETA covers 44 sites which consume 2,117 TJ of energy and produce 121,000 tonnes of CO2 each year – almost exclusively from piped gas. The report shows that those who can transition sooner will reap the benefits given the volatility of gas pricing. “Supporting these installations by 2035 will require small changes to local electricity distribution business (EDB) networks, increasing electricity demand by 23GWh per year, and demand for biomass by 160,000 tonnes per year,” said Briggs.

“All of these projects and ongoing energy requirements increase opportunities for employment in the region.” 

Energy efficiency and demand reduction are key parts of the RETA process – which can lead to significant costs and energy savings alongside addressing the need for grid resilience to support increased electrification in the region. Investment in demand reduction will meet 16% of process heat demands in Hawke’s Bay, saving between $40M and $44M in avoided new electricity and biomass infrastructure. 

For businesses on the demand side, Briggs noted programmes like RETA help with an increasing expectation domestically and within export markets for cleaner products and services. “Using information from our RETA programme, businesses can prepare for the future understanding the process heat energy and carbon saving opportunities that are in the pipeline both now and beyond 2030.” 

The report includes input from the Hawke’s Bay Regional Economic Development Agency, Transpower, Centralines, Firstlight and Unison, local biomass suppliers and forest owners, electricity generators and retailers, and medium to large industrial energy users. 

More >>

Source & image credit: EECA



WoodTECH News banner


Share |



Copyright 2004-2024 © Innovatek Ltd. All rights reserved.