New Zealand

Index rank 06

Energy Sustainability Index Rankings

 2010  2011  2012  Trend
Energy Performance  6  7  6 
Energy Security  17  33  16 
Social Equity  13  13  13 
Environmental Impact Mitigation  11  7  8 
       
Contextual Performance  8  8  7 
Political Strength  7  6  3 
Societal Strength  7  9  9 
Economic Strength  20  17  20 
       
Overall Rank  5  6  6 
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Fossil Fuel Resources

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Key Metrics

Industrial sector (% of GDP) 24.5
TPEP / TPEC  (net energy importer) 0.82
Emission intensity (kg CO2 per USD) 1.16
Energy affordability (USD per kWh) 0.18
GDP / capita (PPP, USD); GDP Group 26,997 (B)
Energy intensity (million BTU per USD) 0.03
CO2 emissions (metric tons) / capita) 8.94
Population Access to Electricity (%) 100.0
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Index Commentary

New Zealand remains constant on rank six in the Index. Improvements in energy security are driven by an increased wholesale margin on gasoline and oil reserve. Performance in other dimensions remains solid, except a small drop in its economic performance which is driven by a decrease in macroeconomic stability.

Trends and Outlook

New Zealand is well-positioned in the Index and could see further improvements due to the increased use renewable energy sources and gas in electricity and heat generation which will lower CO2 emissions and improve environmental impact mitigation performance. NZ Energy Strategy and NZEECS provide an overarching policy framework, its four priorities of diverse resource development, environmental responsibility, efficient use of energy, secure and affordable energy should improve New Zealand’s performance in all three energy dimensions. Key initiatives are: 1) a national ETS, which allows the protection of the competitiveness of export industries by allocations; and 2) the New Zealand Energy Strategy which has an aspirational aim to increase the amount of renewable electricity from 70% to 90% by 2025, facilitated by ETS, market mechanisms and grid investment, and without compromising security of supply or competitiveness. The two major parties both support the ETS and have similar renewable energy goals, which should help to increase investment certainty in the sector. Trends to be watched are: 1) The extensions of the ETS to cover all sectors including agricultural emissions, and be fully internationally tradable; 2) An increasing proportion of electricity from renewable energy sources with gas likely make up most of the rest; 3) accommodating increasing intermittent wind generation; 4) Promotion of demand side measures including energy efficiency, and the use of renewables in the industrial and domestic sectors; and 5) Capitalising on opportunities to improve transport energy efficiency and the use of alternative transport fuels, which could contribute to greater energy security and have a positive environmental impact. New Zealand’s vehicles are generally older and less efficient than those in other countries such as Japan and Europe. Two-thirds of New Zealand’s liquid fuel comes from its one refinery and this will increase with the recent announcement of a CCR project.

Notes

1) Data for shale oil is for resources in place