New Zealand Prime Minister Pledges 100% Renewable Energy by 2030
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern promises to achieve 100% renewables by 2030 if her party wins re-election in October. The plan calls for an accelerated schedule and the use of pumped hydro energy storage to make clean energy universally available.
This should be considered a “green new deal,” albeit on a smaller scale than what’s being discussed in the U.S., insofar as New Zealand finds itself in its worst recession in over 30 years, after its GDP fell 12.2% following two straight quarters of negative growth amid some of the world’s toughest pandemic restrictions. and this move, according to Ardern, is “about the rebound.”
Announcing the plans, Ardern said, “The COVID-19 economic recovery represents a once in a generation opportunity to reshape New Zealand’s energy system to be more renewable faster, affordable and secure.”
Apparently, Kiwi politics isn’t altogether different than what we find in the United States. True to form, the leader of the opposition National Party, forecasts electricity costs to rise by up to 40% and predicted thousands of people would lose their jobs as a result. Want to bet the National Party is a close ally of the traditional energy infrastructure?
