77-607: The Waitahora Wind Farm was a proposed renewable energy project in New Zealand planned by Contact Energy but which has now been abandoned without construction beginning (see resource consent process below). This development was proposed to be located on the Puketoi Range which forms one side of the picturesque Waitahora Valley, near Dannevirke in Southern Hawke’s Bay . It was planned to have up to 65 wind turbines with
154-483: A capacity of up to 177 MW. The proposed towers were to be 100m high, with a total height of 150m. The windfarm was opposed by a local residents group, representing a large proportion of local residents. In 2013, Contact announced that the project would not proceed in the foreseeable future. Consents for the project lapsed in 2016. The windfarm required resource consent approval, a licensing process administered by local government. The consent application for this project
231-463: A faster rate than they are consumed". Solar power , wind power , hydroelectricity , geothermal energy, and biomass are widely agreed to be the main types of renewable energy. Renewable energy often displaces conventional fuels in four areas: electricity generation , hot water / space heating , transportation , and rural (off-grid) energy services. Although almost all forms of renewable energy cause much fewer carbon emissions than fossil fuels,
308-465: A fluctuating nature, such as wind power and solar power. In contrast, controllable renewable energy sources include dammed hydroelectricity , bioenergy , or geothermal power . Renewable energy systems have rapidly become more efficient and cheaper over the past 30 years. A large majority of worldwide newly installed electricity capacity is now renewable. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, have seen significant cost reductions over
385-437: A given time. Solar energy can only be captured during the day, and ideally in cloudless conditions. Wind power generation can vary significantly not only day-to-day, but even month-to-month. This poses a challenge when transitioning away from fossil fuels: energy demand will often be higher or lower than what renewables can provide. Both scenarios can cause electricity grids to become overloaded, leading to power outages . In
462-948: A large portion of the total, such as Kenya (43%) and Indonesia (5%). Technical advances may eventually make geothermal power more widely available. For example, enhanced geothermal systems involve drilling around 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) into the Earth, breaking apart hot rocks and extracting the heat using water. In theory, this type of geothermal energy extraction could be done anywhere on Earth. There are also other renewable energy technologies that are still under development, including enhanced geothermal systems , concentrated solar power , cellulosic ethanol , and marine energy . These technologies are not yet widely demonstrated or have limited commercialization. Some may have potential comparable to other renewable energy technologies, but still depend on further breakthroughs from research, development and engineering. Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) are
539-638: A more energy-dense biofuel like ethanol. Wood is the most significant biomass energy source as of 2012 and is usually sourced from a trees cleared for silvicultural reasons or fire prevention . Municipal wood waste – for instance, construction materials or sawdust – is also often burned for energy. The biggest per-capita producers of wood-based bioenergy are heavily forested countries like Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Austria, and Denmark. Bioenergy can be environmentally destructive if old-growth forests are cleared to make way for crop production. In particular, demand for palm oil to produce biodiesel has contributed to
616-506: A new type of geothermal power which does not require natural hot water reservoirs or steam to generate power. Most of the underground heat within drilling reach is trapped in solid rocks, not in water. EGS technologies use hydraulic fracturing to break apart these rocks and release the heat they contain, which is then harvested by pumping water into the ground. The process is sometimes known as "hot dry rock" (HDR). Unlike conventional geothermal energy extraction, EGS may be feasible anywhere in
693-747: A population density of 174 people per km . It is part of the larger Newbury statistical area. Bunnythorpe had a population of 687 at the 2018 New Zealand census , an increase of 12 people (1.8%) since the 2013 census , and an increase of 42 people (6.5%) since the 2006 census . There were 264 households, comprising 342 males and 345 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female, with 135 people (19.7%) aged under 15 years, 123 (17.9%) aged 15 to 29, 333 (48.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 87 (12.7%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 90.4% European/ Pākehā , 17.5% Māori , 0.4% Pacific peoples , 2.6% Asian , and 1.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. Although some people chose not to answer
770-409: A range of construction strategies and technologies that aim to optimize the distribution of solar heat in a building. Examples include solar chimneys , orienting a building to the sun, using construction materials that can store heat , and designing spaces that naturally circulate air . From 2020 to 2022, solar technology investments almost doubled from USD 162 billion to USD 308 billion, driven by
847-416: A renewable power source , although this is controversial. Renewable energy installations can be large or small and are suited for both urban and rural areas. Renewable energy is often deployed together with further electrification . This has several benefits: electricity can move heat and vehicles efficiently and is clean at the point of consumption. Variable renewable energy sources are those that have
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#1733086007009924-702: A variety of environmental conditions and perform more efficiently allowing a greater proportion of photon energy to end up in the storage compounds, i.e., carbohydrates (rather than building and sustaining living cells). However, prominent research faces hurdles, Sun Catalytix a MIT spin-off stopped scaling up their prototype fuel-cell in 2012 because it offers few savings over other ways to make hydrogen from sunlight. Most new renewables are solar, followed by wind then hydro then bioenergy. Investment in renewables, especially solar, tends to be more effective in creating jobs than coal, gas or oil. Worldwide, renewables employ about 12 million people as of 2020, with solar PV being
1001-452: Is thermal energy (heat) extracted from the Earth's crust . It originates from several different sources , of which the most significant is slow radioactive decay of minerals contained in the Earth's interior , as well as some leftover heat from the formation of the Earth . Some of the heat is generated near the Earth's surface in the crust, but some also flows from deep within the Earth from
1078-468: Is 11.2 C. Bunnythorpe is popular among younger children as it is a small community and regarded as quite safe. Children often spend weekends and spare time utilising the open access to the primary school's playgrounds and sporting fields. There is also a Rugby Football Club on Raymond St with clubrooms and this is the site of the ANZAC memorial Cenotaph. The Mangaone Stream bridge off Maple Street on Te Ngaio Road
1155-471: Is a more economical means of long-term renewable energy storage, in terms of capital expenditures compared to pumped hydroelectric or batteries. Solar power produced around 1.3 terrawatt-hours (TWh) worldwide in 2022, representing 4.6% of the world's electricity. Almost all of this growth has happened since 2010. Solar energy can be harnessed anywhere that receives sunlight; however, the amount of solar energy that can be harnessed for electricity generation
1232-537: Is a technology for generating electricity by mixing fresh water and salty sea water in large power cells. Most marine energy harvesting technologies are still at low technology readiness levels and not used at large scales. Tidal energy is generally considered the most mature, but has not seen wide deployment. The world's largest tidal power station is on Sihwa Lake , South Korea, which produces around 550 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year. Earth emits roughly 10 W of infrared thermal radiation that flows toward
1309-419: Is about 800 times denser than air , even a slow flowing stream of water, or moderate sea swell , can yield considerable amounts of energy. Water can generate electricity with a conversion efficiency of about 90%, which is the highest rate in renewable energy. There are many forms of water energy: Much hydropower is flexible, thus complementing wind and solar. In 2021, the world renewable hydropower capacity
1386-717: Is also popular among the children, with eels and fresh water trout among the catch. The main access to Bunnythorpe comes via Railway Road from Palmerston North and Wellington in the south; Ashhurst-Bunnythorpe Road from Ashhurst, Woodville and Hawke’s Bay in the east; Kairanga Bunnythorpe Road from the west; and Campbell Road to the north, serving Feilding. Bunnythorpe is less than 10 minutes' drive from Palmerston North Airport in Milson, where regular flights to Auckland , Wellington , Hamilton , Christchurch and Nelson are available. The North Island Main Trunk Railway runs through
1463-520: Is common in Iceland, or to generate electricity. At smaller scales, geothermal power can be generated with geothermal heat pumps , which can extract heat from ground temperatures of under 30 °C (86 °F), allowing them to be used at relatively shallow depths of a few meters. Electricity generation requires large plants and ground temperatures of at least 150 °C (302 °F). In some countries, electricity produced from geothermal energy accounts for
1540-401: Is enough fuel for breeder reactors to satisfy the world's energy needs for 5 billion years at 1983's total energy consumption rate, thus making nuclear energy effectively a renewable energy. In addition to seawater the average crustal granite rocks contain significant quantities of uranium and thorium with which breeder reactors can supply abundant energy for the remaining lifespan of the sun on
1617-518: Is influenced by weather conditions , geographic location and time of day. There are two mainstream ways of harnessing solar energy: solar thermal , which converts solar energy into heat; and photovoltaics (PV), which converts it into electricity. PV is far more widespread, accounting for around two thirds of the global solar energy capacity as of 2022. It is also growing at a much faster rate, with 170 GW newly installed capacity in 2021, compared to 25 GW of solar thermal. Passive solar refers to
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#17330860070091694-460: Is more valuable than VRE countries with large hydroelectric developments such as Canada and Norway are spending billions to expand their grids to trade with neighboring countries having limited hydro. Biomass is biological material derived from living, or recently living organisms. Most commonly, it refers to plants or plant-derived materials. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly via combustion to produce heat, or converted to
1771-596: Is not possible to use or store excess electricity. Electrical energy storage is a collection of methods used to store electrical energy. Electrical energy is stored during times when production (especially from intermittent sources such as wind power , tidal power , solar power ) exceeds consumption, and returned to the grid when production falls below consumption. Pumped-storage hydroelectricity accounts for more than 85% of all grid power storage . Batteries are increasingly being deployed for storage and grid ancillary services and for domestic storage. Green hydrogen
1848-520: Is often associated with unsustainable deforestation . As part of the global effort to limit climate change , most countries have committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions . In practice, this means phasing out fossil fuels and replacing them with low-emissions energy sources. This much needed process, coined as "low-carbon substitutions" in contrast to other transition processes including energy additions, needs to be accelerated multiple times in order to successfully mitigating climate change. At
1925-560: Is on relatively flat land, with few rolling hills in surrounding farming properties. Several small streams run through the town: the Mangaone Stream and Jack's Creek run parallel towards the south-west through Palmerston North. Several smaller waterways merge with these streams, passing through Bunnythorpe's south. Bunnythorpe is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 4.26 km (1.64 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 740 as of June 2024, with
2002-477: Is that the heated water can be stored until it is needed, eliminating the need for a separate energy storage system. Solar thermal power can also be converted to electricity by using the steam generated from the heated water to drive a turbine connected to a generator. However, because generating electricity this way is much more expensive than photovoltaic power plants, there are very few in use today. Humans have harnessed wind energy since at least 3500 BC. Until
2079-662: Is to slow and eventually stop climate change , which is widely agreed to be caused mostly by greenhouse gas emissions . In general, renewable energy sources cause much lower emissions than fossil fuels. The International Energy Agency estimates that to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, 90% of global electricity generation will need to be produced from renewable sources. Renewables also cause much less air pollution than fossil fuels, improving public health, and are less noisy . The deployment of renewable energy still faces obstacles, especially fossil fuel subsidies , lobbying by incumbent power providers, and local opposition to
2156-463: The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference , around three-quarters of the world's countries set a goal of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030. The European Union aims to generate 40% of its electricity from renewables by the same year. Renewable energy is more evenly distributed around the world than fossil fuels, which are concentrated in a limited number of countries. It also brings health benefits by reducing air pollution caused by
2233-488: The NASA Office of Science and Technology Policy examined the concept and concluded that with current and near-future technologies it would be economically uncompetitive. Collection of static electricity charges from water droplets on metal surfaces is an experimental technology that would be especially useful in low-income countries with relative air humidity over 60%. Breeder reactors could, in principle, depending on
2310-642: The Te Āpiti Wind Farm connecting at Woodville. Even with the now completed reconductoring of the Woodville-Mangamaire-Masterton line, and the proposed reconductoring of the Woodville-Bunnythorpe line, only 110 MW of generation could be potentially attached to the existing lines. For the Waitahora wind farm to be connected the national grid, a new 220 kV transmission would have to be built from
2387-561: The mantle and core . Geothermal energy extraction is viable mostly in countries located on tectonic plate edges, where the Earth's hot mantle is more exposed. As of 2023, the United States has by far the most geothermal capacity (2.7 GW, or less than 0.2% of the country's total energy capacity ), followed by Indonesia and the Philippines. Global capacity in 2022 was 15 GW. Geothermal energy can be either used directly to heat homes, as
Waitahora Wind Farm - Misplaced Pages Continue
2464-400: The 20th century, it was primarily used to power ships, windmills and water pumps. Today, the vast majority of wind power is used to generate electricity using wind turbines. Modern utility-scale wind turbines range from around 600 kW to 9 MW of rated power. The power available from the wind is a function of the cube of the wind speed, so as wind speed increases, power output increases up to
2541-492: The 286 turbine (Genesis Energy) Castle Hill wind farm (south of Puketoi). Five power companies (including Contact Energy , developer of the proposed Waitahora Wind Farm) asked for the district plan to be modified to avoid hindering wind energy generation projects. TrustPower asked for the Puketoi ranges to be removed from the list of outstanding natural features, or for "skyline" to be more clearly defined. Contact Energy also asked for
2618-620: The Puketoi Ranges to be removed from the Council list of outstanding natural features until a district wide assessment of landscape features can be undertaken, despite their own landscape architect (as well as two others) already concluding that the Puketoi Range is indeed an outstanding natural feature (see references below). These changes would make it easier to get local government approval for large scale wind energy developments. The power companies involved have not publicised their attempts to change
2695-691: The Secretary-Treasurer of the Wellington Provincial Council , which functioned from 1853 to 1876. On the other side of the rail line, the town of Mugby Junction was to be established. It was proposed in 1878, that the link between the North Island Main Trunk and the Napier line would be here. However plans changed and the junction was located at Palmerston North. The building of Mugby Junction never eventuated. The Glaxo company
2772-626: The appeal and granted consents for the revised wind farm in 2010. The lapse period granted for the consents was five years. No construction began on this project and the consents lapsed in April 2016. There was no application made to extend them. No official statement has been released by Contact Energy but it is understood that the development of other more economic renewable energy projects (principally geothermal ) coupled with an uncertain outlook for future electricity demand growth made this project unattractive for investors. As of April 2016, this appears to be
2849-698: The birthplace of a major multinational. Products were made in Bunnythorpe until 1973. As of 2010 the building is commercially owned. The Glaxo company became a major pharmaceutical manufacturer and after a series of mergers it became part of the United Kingdom's GlaxoSmithKline in 2000. In 1979 the Glaxo factory was transformed into the Pantha BMX manufacturing plant, which was the first BMX plant in New Zealand and also
2926-446: The burning of fossil fuels. The potential worldwide savings in health care costs have been estimated at trillions of dollars annually. The two most important forms of renewable energy, solar and wind, are intermittent energy sources : they are not available constantly, resulting in lower capacity factors . In contrast, fossil fuel power plants are usually able to produce precisely the amount of energy an electricity grid requires at
3003-452: The census's question about religious affiliation, 55.9% had no religion, 33.2% were Christian , 0.9% had Māori religious beliefs , 0.4% were Hindu , 0.9% were Muslim and 1.3% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 75 (13.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 126 (22.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 81 people (14.7%) earned over $ 70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15
3080-675: The centre of Bunnythorpe but trains no longer stop in the village, as the station was closed in 1985. Freight and passenger trains run from between Wellington and Auckland, though passengers must board these services in Palmerston North. A service operates between Feilding and Palmerston North hourly, which stops in Bunnythorpe. The main stop in Palmerston North is Main Street which is also the main Palmerston North suburban bus terminus, where buses can be caught to other suburbs. Inter-City buses depart from Palmerston North. Bunnythorpe until recently
3157-778: The cold outer space. Solar energy hits the surface and atmosphere of the earth and produces heat. Using various theorized devices like emissive energy harvester (EEH) or thermoradiative diode, this energy flow can be converted into electricity. In theory, this technology can be used during nighttime. Producing liquid fuels from oil-rich (fat-rich) varieties of algae is an ongoing research topic. Various microalgae grown in open or closed systems are being tried including some systems that can be set up in brownfield and desert lands. There have been numerous proposals for space-based solar power , in which very large satellites with photovoltaic panels would be equipped with microwave transmitters to beam power back to terrestrial receivers. A 2024 study by
Waitahora Wind Farm - Misplaced Pages Continue
3234-543: The crops used to produce bioethanol and biodiesel are grown specifically for this purpose, although used cooking oil accounted for 14% of the oil used to produce biodiesel as of 2015. The biomass used to produce biofuels varies by region. Maize is the major feedstock in the United States, while sugarcane dominates in Brazil. In the European Union, where biodiesel is more common than bioethanol, rapeseed oil and palm oil are
3311-410: The decision to decline the consent application and presented a substantially revised proposal, especially with regards to the limestone geology and sediment control. One of the consenting authorities, Horizons Regional Council, stated that consents should not have been declined on the basis of discharge of contaminants to groundwater, and that the consents should be granted. The Environment Court upheld
3388-412: The deforestation of tropical rainforests in Brazil and Indonesia. In addition, burning biomass still produces carbon emissions, although much less than fossil fuels (39 grams of CO 2 per megajoule of energy, compared to 75 g/MJ for fossil fuels). Some biomass sources are unsustainable at current rates of exploitation (as of 2017). Biofuels are primarily used in transportation, providing 3.5% of
3465-424: The district plan. Cross submissions on the proposed District Plan closed on 3 October 2008. Transpower , the national grid owner-operator, has issues exporting electricity generated from the area, as there are no appropriate transmission lines to connect to in the area. Although the nearest lines are 20 km away at Dannevirke, they are low capacity 110 kV lines that are already constrained by generation from
3542-585: The fastest-growing renewable energy technology. It is cheap, low-maintenance and scalable; adding to an existing PV installation as demanded arises is simple. Its main disadvantage is its poor performance in cloudy weather. PV systems range from small, residential and commercial rooftop or building integrated installations, to large utility-scale photovoltaic power station . A household's solar panels can either be used for just that household or, if connected to an electrical grid, can be aggregated with millions of others. The first utility-scale solar power plant
3619-406: The first proposed wind farm in New Zealand to have allowed its construction consents to lapse. Other wind farms have had their consents extended, although the approval of consent extensions may not continue indefinitely. There are two other industrial scale wind farm developments planned for the Puketoi range and surrounding area, the 53 turbine (Mercury) Puketoi wind farm (south of Waitahora) and
3696-548: The fuel cycle employed, extract almost all of the energy contained in uranium or thorium , decreasing fuel requirements by a factor of 100 compared to widely used once-through light water reactors , which extract less than 1% of the energy in the actinide metal (uranium or thorium) mined from the earth. The high fuel-efficiency of breeder reactors could greatly reduce concerns about fuel supply, energy used in mining, and storage of radioactive waste . With seawater uranium extraction (currently too expensive to be economical), there
3773-612: The home of the first BMX track. The Bunnythorpe electrical substation was established in 1924, with the electricity transmitted from Mangahao Power Station stepped down to supply the Palmerston North Municipal Electricity Department and the Manawatu-Oroua Electric Power Board. It shortly afterwards became a major switching point, with transmission lines extending from Bunnythorpe to Napier-Hastings, Whanganui, and Masterton. Today,
3850-736: The horizontal axis units currently in use. As offshore wind speeds average ~90% greater than that of land, offshore resources can contribute substantially more energy than land-stationed turbines. Investments in wind technologies reached USD 161 billion in 2020, with onshore wind dominating at 80% of total investments from 2013 to 2022. Offshore wind investments nearly doubled to USD 41 billion between 2019 and 2020, primarily due to policy incentives in China and expansion in Europe. Global wind capacity increased by 557 GW between 2013 and 2021, with capacity additions increasing by an average of 19% each year. Since water
3927-408: The main feedstocks. China, although it produces comparatively much less biofuel, uses mostly corn and wheat. In many countries, biofuels are either subsidized or mandated to be included in fuel mixtures . There are many other sources of bioenergy that are more niche, or not yet viable at large scales. For instance, bioethanol could be produced from the cellulosic parts of crops, rather than only
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#17330860070094004-504: The main sequence of stellar evolution. Artificial photosynthesis uses techniques including nanotechnology to store solar electromagnetic energy in chemical bonds by splitting water to produce hydrogen and then using carbon dioxide to make methanol. Researchers in this field strived to design molecular mimics of photosynthesis that use a wider region of the solar spectrum, employ catalytic systems made from abundant, inexpensive materials that are robust, readily repaired, non-toxic, stable in
4081-453: The maximum output for the particular turbine. Areas where winds are stronger and more constant, such as offshore and high-altitude sites, are preferred locations for wind farms. Wind-generated electricity met nearly 4% of global electricity demand in 2015, with nearly 63 GW of new wind power capacity installed. Wind energy was the leading source of new capacity in Europe, the US and Canada, and
4158-472: The medium-term, this variability may require keeping some gas-fired power plants or other dispatchable generation on standby until there is enough energy storage, demand response , grid improvement, and/or baseload power from non-intermittent sources. In the long-term, energy storage is an important way of dealing with intermittency. Using diversified renewable energy sources and smart grids can also help flatten supply and demand. Sector coupling of
4235-788: The past decade, making them more competitive with traditional fossil fuels. In most countries, photovoltaic solar or onshore wind are the cheapest new-build electricity. From 2011 to 2021, renewable energy grew from 20% to 28% of global electricity supply. Power from the sun and wind accounted for most of this increase, growing from a combined 2% to 10%. Use of fossil energy shrank from 68% to 62%. In 2022, renewables accounted for 30% of global electricity generation and are projected to reach over 42% by 2028. Many countries already have renewables contributing more than 20% of their total energy supply, with some generating over half or even all their electricity from renewable sources. The main motivation to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources
4312-571: The power generation sector with other sectors may increase flexibility: for example the transport sector can be coupled by charging electric vehicles and sending electricity from vehicle to grid . Similarly the industry sector can be coupled by hydrogen produced by electrolysis, and the buildings sector by thermal energy storage for space heating and cooling. Building overcapacity for wind and solar generation can help ensure sufficient electricity production even during poor weather. In optimal weather, it may be necessary to curtail energy generation if it
4389-482: The primary challenges for new developments. It is popular to repower old dams thereby increasing their efficiency and capacity as well as quicker responsiveness on the grid. Where circumstances permit existing dams such as the Russell Dam built in 1985 may be updated with "pump back" facilities for pumped-storage which is useful for peak loads or to support intermittent wind and solar power. Because dispatchable power
4466-487: The region's major city, Palmerston North . Dairy farms predominate the surrounding area but the community facilities include Bunnythorpe School, with a roll of about 80 pupils as of 2010, as well as a rugby football club, country club and several manufacturing plants. The population was 687 in the 2018 census. The North Island Main Trunk Railway passed over government owned land, which was subdivided and later became Bunnythorpe. The village takes its name from Henry Bunny,
4543-527: The renewable energy sector. Globally in 2020 there are over 10 million jobs associated with the renewable energy industries, with solar photovoltaics being the largest renewable employer. The clean energy sectors added about 4.7 million jobs globally between 2019 and 2022, totaling 35 million jobs by 2022. Bunnythorpe Bunnythorpe is a village in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island , 10 km (6 mi) north of
4620-585: The second largest in China. In Denmark, wind energy met more than 40% of its electricity demand while Ireland, Portugal and Spain each met nearly 20%. Globally, the long-term technical potential of wind energy is believed to be five times total current global energy production, or 40 times current electricity demand, assuming all practical barriers needed were overcome. This would require wind turbines to be installed over large areas, particularly in areas of higher wind resources, such as offshore, and likely also industrial use of new types of VAWT turbines in addition to
4697-523: The sector's increasing maturity and cost reductions, particularly in solar photovoltaic (PV), which accounted for 90% of total investments. China and the United States were the main recipients, collectively making up about half of all solar investments since 2013. Despite reductions in Japan and India due to policy changes and COVID-19 , growth in China, the United States, and a significant increase from Vietnam's feed-in tariff program offset these declines. Globally,
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#17330860070094774-418: The seed as is common today. Sweet sorghum may be a promising alternative source of bioethanol, due to its tolerance of a wide range of climates. Cow dung can be converted into methane. There is also a great deal of research involving algal fuel , which is attractive because algae is a non-food resource, grows around 20 times faster than most food crops, and can be grown almost anywhere. Geothermal energy
4851-451: The solar sector added 714 gigawatts (GW) of solar PV and concentrated solar power (CSP) capacity between 2013 and 2021, with a notable rise in large-scale solar heating installations in 2021, especially in China, Europe, Turkey, and Mexico. A photovoltaic system , consisting of solar cells assembled into panels , converts light into electrical direct current via the photoelectric effect . PV has several advantages that make it by far
4928-514: The substation is owned by national grid operator Transpower , and continues to be the main switching point for the lower-central North Island. Bunnythorpe is about midway between the Manawatū region's main city of Palmerston North and its second largest settlement, Feilding . To the east of the village lies Ashhurst , and Kairanga sits to the west. Bunnythorpe is part of the Manawatu Plains and
5005-468: The technology employing the most at almost 4 million. However, as of February 2024, the world's supply of workforce for solar energy is lagging greatly behind demand as universities worldwide still produce more workforce for fossil fuels than for renewable energy industries. In 2021, China accounted for almost half of the global increase in renewable electricity. There are 3,146 gigawatts installed in 135 countries, while 156 countries have laws regulating
5082-407: The ten biggest solar power stations are in China, including the biggest, Golmud Solar Park in China. Unlike photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight directly into electricity, solar thermal systems convert it into heat. They use mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight onto a receiver, which in turn heats a water reservoir. The heated water can then be used in homes. The advantage of solar thermal
5159-501: The term is not synonymous with low-carbon energy . Some non-renewable sources of energy, such as nuclear power , generate almost no emissions, while some renewable energy sources can be very carbon-intensive, such as the burning of biomass if it is not offset by planting new plants. Renewable energy is also distinct from sustainable energy , a more abstract concept that seeks to group energy sources based on their overall permanent impact on future generations of humans. For example, biomass
5236-484: The use of land for renewable installations. Like all mining, the extraction of minerals required for many renewable energy technologies also results in environmental damage . In addition, although most renewable energy sources are sustainable , some are not. Renewable energy is usually understood as energy harnessed from continuously occurring natural phenomena. The International Energy Agency defines it as "energy derived from natural processes that are replenished at
5313-547: The wind farm to Bunnythorpe substation or the Bunnythorpe-Linton-Haywards-Wilton 220 kV line Renewable energy Renewable energy (or green energy ) will be energy from renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human timescale . The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy , wind power , and hydropower . Bioenergy and geothermal power are also significant in some countries. Some also consider nuclear power
5390-484: The world's transport energy demand in 2022, up from 2.7% in 2010. Biojet is expected to be important for short-term reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from long-haul flights. Aside from wood, the major sources of bioenergy are bioethanol and biodiesel . Bioethanol is usually produced by fermenting the sugar components of crops like sugarcane and maize , while biodiesel is mostly made from oils extracted from plants, such as soybean oil and corn oil . Most of
5467-502: The world, depending on the cost of drilling. EGS projects have so far primarily been limited to demonstration plants , as the technology is capital-intensive due to the high cost of drilling. Marine energy (also sometimes referred to as ocean energy) is the energy carried by ocean waves , tides , salinity , and ocean temperature differences . Technologies to harness the energy of moving water include wave power , marine current power , and tidal power . Reverse electrodialysis (RED)
5544-455: Was 1,360 GW. Only a third of the world's estimated hydroelectric potential of 14,000 TWh/year has been developed. New hydropower projects face opposition from local communities due to their large impact, including relocation of communities and flooding of wildlife habitats and farming land. High cost and lead times from permission process, including environmental and risk assessments, with lack of environmental and social acceptance are therefore
5621-517: Was built in 1982 in Hesperia, California by ARCO . The plant was not profitable and was sold eight years later. However, over the following decades, PV cells became significantly more efficient and cheaper. As a result, PV adoption has grown exponentially since 2010. Global capacity increased from 230 GW at the end of 2015 to 890 GW in 2021. PV grew fastest in China between 2016 and 2021, adding 560 GW, more than all advanced economies combined. Four of
5698-413: Was founded in Bunnythorpe. In 1904 Joseph Nathan and Sons established a baby-food manufacturer which processed local milk into a baby food named Glaxo (sold in the 1930s under the slogan Glaxo builds bonny babies ). As of 2010 , still visible on the main street of Bunnythorpe is the factory for drying and processing cows' milk into powder, with the original Glaxo logo clearly visible, but nothing to indicate
5775-704: Was part of the Manawatu District. In a quest to attract growth to the region, Manawatu District agreed to transfer a portion of its territory to Palmerston North City; Bunnythorpe was a part of this portion. Bunnythorpe is represented in the Rangitīkei electorate by Suze Redmayne of the New Zealand National Party . Bunnythorpe is represented in the Te Tai Hauāuru Māori electorate by Debbie Ngarewa-Packer of Te Pāti Māori . Bunnythorpe School
5852-578: Was publicly notified on 30 September and submissions closed on 30 October 2008. The consent hearing was held in February 2009. Three independent landscape architects gave evidence at the hearing, and all agreed that the Puketoi range was an outstanding natural landscape. The application for resource consents for this project was declined in 2009,. This is not unusual, as several renewable energy projects were declined resource consents (see Awhitu , Mokau hydro , Mount Cass , Te Waka ). Contact Energy appealed
5929-427: Was that 324 (58.7%) people were employed full-time, 72 (13.0%) were part-time, and 24 (4.3%) were unemployed. Bunnythorpe has a very similar temperate climate to Palmerston North, but temperatures tend to be slightly lower in winter and can be significantly lower during the summer months of December to February. The average summer temperature is 20.6 C and the average temperature during the coldest months of June–August
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