Renewable Energy and the Efficient Implementation of New Zealand’s Current and Potential Future Greenhouse Gas Commitments

This working paper was prepared for the Ministry for the Environment.

The purpose of this project is; to identify and assess possible rationales for government action, in addition to general climate change policy and during the period 2002-2012, directed specifically at renewables as part of the overall strategy to achieve efficient implementation of New Zealand's current and potential future greenhouse gas commitments; and; if there is sufficient justification, to identify the nature of such government actions and their relative priority.

The report examines the justification, in terms of benefits (or avoided costs) to the nation associated with achieving New Zealand's current and potential future greenhouse gas commitments, for making a transition to renewable sources of energy more quickly than would occur if the only government policy intervention were climate change policy.

The discussion is intended to be qualitative rather than quantitative but draws on the latest assessment of renewables options.