Some more snippets :

Stuff.co.nz - The way the wind blows

As the Government moves to reduce New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions, the public will be asked to make a tradeoff. Less fossil-fuel generation equals more dams, wind turbines and pylons.

In a valedictory appearance at the National Power Summit this week, outgoing Meridian Energy chief executive Keith Turner was in no doubt about the fundamental issue facing the electricity sector over the next decade.

"The big issue in the next five to 10 years is how the New Zealand Energy Strategy is going to play out," he said.

The centrepiece of the strategy, which was released by the Government late last year, is a target that at least 90 per cent of the country's electricity generation will come from renewable resources, such as wind, hydro and geothermal, by 2025.

"These are lofty goals," Dr Turner said. "You can already see resources starting to mobilise toward them. But the biggest challenge will be the government response and how much teeth the Government gives it. It's one thing to say what we should do. It's another thing to give us the tools to enable us to do it."

At present, 68.5 per cent of New Zealand's 8900 megawatts of supply is generated from renewable resources.

Based on an estimate of a 20 per cent to 25 per cent increase in total electricity demand by 2025, Energy Minister David Parker reckons the country would need an extra 175MW of renewable supply a year to meet the target.

A significant amount of this will come from geothermal projects around Taupo, and about 10 major wind farms and more hydro projects will probably be needed, he says.

"We don't need to dam every river or put turbines on every ridge, though. History will show it'll be pretty easy."

Stuff.co.nz - Rain brings power price reprieve

Heavy rain during the weekend has raised South Island hydro power lake levels and pushed wholesale power prices down sharply, but it is too soon to say whether winter power cuts will be averted.

Drought in many parts of the country has led to national hydro lakes dropping to levels seen in the lead-up to the 1992 power crisis, with some arguing that the power system is still on a knife edge if something goes wrong.

Widespread rain, especially in the lower South Island, increased national hydro lake levels from 72 per cent of average a week ago to 84 per cent on Sunday. Lake Manapouri rose almost a metre.

The Age - Investors like Lihir expansion

LIHIR's expansion is a little smaller and more costly than first thought, but with the gold price at record levels, it doesn't seem to matter. ... Lihir's operation is powered by a "green" source of geothermal energy, with the ore body in a collapsed volcano with continuing high rock temperatures. The expanded plant will continue to be powered by geothermal generators, requiring an investment to increase capacity from 76MW to 126MW.

Aussies are not big on consistency. They hate global warming but love coal exports
http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,23636,23316349-462,00.html