Science Media Centre

LanzaTech, a producer of low-carbon fuels and chemicals from waste gases, has closed its latest funding round with investments totaling US $55.8 million. Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, chief executive of LanzaTech, said this funding will accelerate the development of next generation integrated biorefineries using the LanzaTech technology platform for the production of sustainable low carbon chemicals [...]

A leak in the Maui natural gas pipeline has caused a large outage of gas dependent services in the North Island, affecting businesses, hospitals and the dairy industry. Late Monday evening, a rupture was identified in the Maui gas pipeline near White Cliffs and Pukearuhe in the Taranaki Region. It is assumed that the 13cm [...]

Geothermal energy now generates around 13 percent of New Zealand’s electricity, but scientists gathering this week in Taupo will explore options for vastly expanding the resource’s potential. A two-day workshop (25 – 26 May) “HADES: Hotter and Deeper Exploration Science” will bring together engineers and geothermal specialists from 10 countries to discuss the international context [...]

Recordings from a day-long symposium on the Future of coal in New Zealand, hosted by VUW Institute of Policy Studies, 17 May 2011. Dr Mike Isaac – GNS Science geologist “New Zealand coal resources in an international context”: Dr Geoff Bertram – economist at Institute of Policy Studies, VUW “Coal: The New Zealand policy context [...]

The future of coal and proposed lignite developments in Southland, and their role in feeding growing energy needs here and abroad was the focus of a symposium in Wellington today. The event, organised by Victoria University of Wellington’s Institute for Policy Studies, featured visiting NASA climate scientist Dr James Hansen, and canvassed the views of [...]

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources. Dominion Post reporter Kiran Chug covered the story and spoke to Massey University Professor Ralph Sims, an expert who contributed to the report. (The report was also covered in the New Zealand Herald, and a full IPCC press release [...]

“Plenty more earthquakes” to come Canterbury University engineering expert Professor Andy Buchanan wasn’t mincing his words in this week’s Science Media Centre media briefing – he considers it a “fluke” that no one was killed in September’s 7.1 quake in Canterbury. The time of day – the quake struck at 4.35am on a Saturday morning [...]

Stu Oldham writes in the Otago Daily Times about criticism of government’s Draft NZ Energy Strategy, including that it is unlikely that we will reach the target of 90% renewably generated electricity by 2025. There are also concerns that the Strategy’s focus on using petroleum and mineral resources could damage New Zealand’s environment, and its [...]

The government’s Developing our Energy Potential – Draft New Zealand Energy Strategy and Draft New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy document has been open to public submissions for the last three months, with submissions due to close by tomorrow. The strategy document fits energy within government’s stated goal of growing New Zealand’s economy.  It [...]

Wrangling over water issues Polluted rivers, dirty dairying, greening the MacKenzie Country, dams for hydro-power and water allocation — these are just some of the big water issues that have been in the headlines in recent months. Although freshwater is relatively abundant in New Zealand, uneven distribution of water resources and increasingly intensive use have [...]