New Zealand discussion (Merged) pt. 3

by **Graeme** » Wed 04 Feb 2009, 04:49:23

kiwichick wrote:hi graeme got a response yet????

No. If he responds, I will post his reply.

by **Graeme** » Sun 15 Feb 2009, 18:06:07

Shell review puts Fly Buys under a cloud

One of New Zealand's biggest petrol brands, Shell, is considering selling most of its New Zealand operations.

That doesn't necessarily mean your local petrol station will close but it's not clear if you will still collect Fly Buys at the pumps.

Shell has announced it is reviewing what it calls its "downstream" business, basically all its retail and service operations.

And that could spell the end for Shell Fly Buys.

Shell is considering selling everything from its shares in construction firm Fulton and Hogan to all 225 gas stations.

In a statement to ONE News Shell says the review is not a response to the international financial turmoil. But instead, the company wants to concentrate on its oil exploration and high growth markets.

http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/shell-review-puts-fly-buys-under-cloud-2486736

by **Graeme** » Tue 03 Mar 2009, 23:40:42

A changing climate of optimism

If you worry a lot about high fuel prices, New Zealand's economic prospects in a carbon-constrained world and related climate change issues, you would have taken heart from three days of conferences in Auckland this past week.

The realisation that the world has begun historic shifts in technology, economics and politics to address these issues - and how abundant are New Zealand's opportunities flowing from them - came through very powerfully.

Forestry offers even bigger opportunities for biofuels, thanks to the work of Scion, the Crown Research Institute, and its partners. Using wood waste from harvesting operations, or even the trees themselves, Scion can produce ethanol at $US1 a litre.

Scion and its partners are planning to start up a bio-refinery pilot plant in 2011 capable of producing 2 million litres of fuel a year. They then hope to have a commercial plant of 100m litres a year running by 2015.

Given New Zealand's potential to grow trees for biofuel on marginal land unfit for other purposes, Scion believes this fuel can replace 50% of our imported petroleum products by 2030. Such volumes would partially insulate us from world oil prices, replace $3.2 billion of petroleum imports a year (based on current prices), save some $680m a year in carbon charges and open up business opportunities exporting the technology to other countries.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/archived-stuff-sections/archived-business-sections/business/opinion-1865/594992/i-A-changing-climate-of-optimism-i

by **SeaGypsy** » Tue 03 Mar 2009, 23:56:28

Graeme, given that ethanol is from 50-80% the efficiency of gasoline; how many liters does NZ need to run it's economy?

by **Graeme** » Wed 04 Mar 2009, 00:37:45

Volumes of imported petroleum can be obtained upon request from Statistics New Zealand or the Ministry of Economic Development.

Your statement about the efficiency of ethanol is not correct according to the following article. Normally ethanol is blended with gasoline.

Bio-ethanol as a Transport Fuel?

Engines running on 10 percent ethanol blends will have a slight increase in volumetric fuel consumption due to the lower energy content of ethanol compared with petrol. Although energy efficiency should be similar for blends and petrol, energy efficiency gains of about 1 percent have been reported, particularly in older vehicles due to the leaning effect of ethanol. Driveability may be impaired in older vehicles, although altering the fuel settings can restore this. A small number of older vehicles may be susceptible to paint and fuel systems materials, degradation. Generally the health and safety aspects of ethanol and ethanol blends are similar to petrol.

http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/publications/rmupdate/rm10/rm-update-june-2002-04.htm

by **SeaGypsy** » Wed 04 Mar 2009, 00:45:08

10% is not significant, look into PO Graeme!

These ideas only make real sense looking at the total equation.
Inputs over outputs= net gain. Assuming anything about the future price of 90% of the blend you are talking about, brings the value of these projects near to zero.

!0% saving on anything won't make any significant difference to forward planning. If you can come up with a closed system for energy in NZ that would be a minor miracle.

This idea, if anything may exacerbate Malthusian issues in the long run.
Promoting the use of MORE OIL not less.

by **Graeme** » Wed 04 Mar 2009, 02:31:59

Apparently, there are kits one can buy to convert an older gasoline engine to run on E85 or E100. But at the moment, there is no need to convert an older engine because there is no gasoline shortage!

I'm fully aware of peak oil issues. I've been posting here since 2005. The timing of peak oil is still controversial IMO hence at times the intense debate on this board. I've already warned several Ministers of Energy including the current one. I have not received a response from The Honourable Mr Brownlee. I've indicated to the Minister and the Prime Minister that the IEA anticipate global shortages from late 2013. So I believe there is some urgency to move our transport system away from petroleum as soon as possible and not "by 2030". However, I think that the work being done by Scion is important for NZ and they are undoubtedly aware of peak oil too.

by **SeaGypsy** » Wed 04 Mar 2009, 02:49:18

Graeme wrote:Apparently, there are kits one can buy to convert an older gasoline engine to run on E85 or E100. But at the moment, there is no need to convert an older engine because there is no gasoline shortage!

I'm fully aware of peak oil issues. I've been posting here since 2005. The timing of peak oil is still controversial IMO hence at times the intense debate on this board. I've already warned several Ministers of Energy including the current one. I have not received a response from The Honourable Mr Brownlee. I've indicated to the Minister and the Prime Minister that the IEA anticipate global shortages from late 2013. So I believe there is some urgency to move our transport system away from petroleum as soon as possible and not "by 2030". However, I think that the work being done by Scion is important for NZ and they are undoubtedly aware of peak oil too.

Well that is most excellent!
I'm not insulting the effort, just the pitch.

It would be great for NZ to hire POers like yourself to run projects like this. So the public get the real story, not this 10% crap with a 20+ year slide in oil with BAU in the time being.

by **Graeme** » Fri 13 Mar 2009, 03:06:10

Well members, I would like to tell you about an interesting development regarding the lack of response from the Energy (Hon Gerry Brownlee) and Prime Ministers (Hon John Key). About a week ago, I contacted the opposition (Labour) Energy spokeperson (Charles Chauvel). He has just emailed to me a letter which he has mailed to the Prime Minister regarding this matter. I will keep you informed of further developments.

by **Graeme** » Mon 16 Mar 2009, 15:43:03

Petrol tax to rise 6c a litre

Petrol taxes will rise 6c a litre under the Government's plans to build more roads.

Yesterday, Transport Minister Steven Joyce unveiled a near-$1 billion fund to fast-track state highway projects.

The project will be part-funded through a national petrol tax, which will add 3c a litre to the price of all grades in October and another 3c in October next year.

Joyce has scrapped plans to allow local authorities to levy regional petrol taxes. That means councils in Auckland and Canterbury will no longer be allowed to use taxes as a way of raising funds for local projects.

However, the Government has committed to the electrification of Auckland's passenger-rail network.

"There is another tragedy too. The Government is again showing its absolute preoccupation with roads at the expense of public transport, walkways and cycleways."

Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said the plan would make New Zealand more oil-dependent and increase carbon emissions while doing nothing to solve traffic problems. "This is the way to solve our transport challenges from a blueprint dated from the 1950s."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2267756/Petrol-tax-to-rise-6c-a-litre

by **Graeme** » Wed 18 Mar 2009, 20:41:44

Govt announces roading development plans

The northern corridor from Levin to Wellington is one of the seven roads of national significance identified by the Government for priority development.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce this afternoon outlined seven of the most essential routes which needed work to reduce congestion, improve safety and support economic growth.

"All seven are the most urgent projects within, or adjacent to, our five largest population centres," he said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/2277020/Govt-announces-roading-development-plans

by **kiwichick** » Thu 19 Mar 2009, 19:28:10

has john key heard of peak oil?

by **Graeme** » Fri 20 Mar 2009, 05:08:00

Yes he most certainly has because he has seen the words written in my letter but so far he has chosen not to respond unlike the Labour party representatives. It appears from the policies recently announced that he also like Labour doesn't think that peak oil will have any drastic effect on our lifestyle in the near future - say 10 years. He's planning to upgrade our NZ roads for instance.

Would you like to write to him?

Actually I would challenge others in different countries to write to their political representatives too, and express your views about peak oil.

by **Graeme** » Sun 22 Mar 2009, 18:01:04

Michael Laws is a Mayor of a small town in New Zealand. He has a first class honours degree in history, and was once a Member of Parliament. I have to wonder whether his views are shared by others in Parliament.

Time for Greens to get their beans

Then there's peak oil - the bizarre belief that once the world exhausts its massive fossil fuel supplies then all economic and societal order will break down. They were ecstatic last year when the price of petrol went to $2.20 a litre and were already digging their bunkers and latrines.

At which point you start to scratch the desperate anti-intellectualism that underpins such nonsense. Because the cheapest, greenest fuel is nuclear and it will be in plentiful supply when we need it. And because technology and discovery are always driven by the market. The higher the price of oil, the more will be "discovered".

This combination of unattractive spokespeople and fruity cause has done the greenie movement no end of harm this past generation. It has inhibited the uptake of international concern and pissed off virtually every politician who is genuine about the need to do something.

They have decreed that you can't be environmentally conscious unless you sign up for their bad science and Chicken Little sensibilities.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/opinion/columnists/2283140/Time-for-Greens-to-get-their-beans

by **Graeme** » Tue 24 Mar 2009, 20:10:22

It appears not. Here is a speech by co-leader of the Maori Party recently:

Speech: Turia - Regional fuel tax

And the Maori Party’s priority for transport and roading is to further invest in public transport, by developing well integrated public transport networks of buses and trains, and walking and cycling tracks – that are frequent, reliable and inexpensive for users.

So while we in the Maori Party are pleased that the government has agreed to fund the electrification of Auckland rail out of the Land Transport fund, there is no commitment to fund the wider integrated public transport services that are needed to make Auckland’s public transport system user-friendly.

And it is this whole concept of support for public transport that we believe is the road least travelled, but the road that could clearly yield long term gain.

The Maori Party has always been supportive of the development of public transport options as a key response to the dual challenges of peak oil and climate change.

With peak oil upon us, there is an urgent need to prepare for ongoing significant oil price increases and a future down turn in availability by providing people with affordable alternatives to private motor cars.

There is an urgent need to reduce our dependency on oil.

In the medium-long term, public transport will benefit lower income earners by providing affordable transport as petrol costs continue to increase.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00344.htm

by **kiwichick** » Tue 24 Mar 2009, 23:49:49

can you send Turia a congrats Graeme?

by **Graeme** » Wed 25 Mar 2009, 03:30:22

I emailed this message to Hon Tariana Turia:

Tariana, Congratulations on your speech to the House recently.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0903/S00344.htm

Your message fits with the sentiments of the Peak Oil community. I think we agree with all you have said about peak oil.

Incidently, I have been communicating with Charles Chauvel as you can see in this thread on a Peak Oil Internet forum:

http://peakoil.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=33195

I am waiting for his reply.

by **kiwichick** » Fri 27 Mar 2009, 18:58:02

whats the address?

excellent idea to encourage people to contact their PTB

by **Graeme** » Fri 27 Mar 2009, 21:34:09

All MP's contact details can be downloaded from this link:

http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/MPP/MPs/Contact/4/c/0/00HOOOCMPPMPsContact1-Contact-list.htm

by **kiwichick** » Sat 28 Mar 2009, 00:07:32

thanks graeme top man