UPDATED: Clean Energy Centre explores possible Taupo off-grid housing community
By Siobhan Leathley,
Taupo could be in for a new eco-sustainable housing community, reshaping the way houses receive heat, electricity, water, and use wastewater.
The New Zealand Clean Energy Centre (NZCEC) is currently investigating whether or not this would be feasible.
The community would use geothermal or biomass heat to heat homes; generate electricity from solar and wind sources; and reuse wastewater by drip-irrigating it to energy crops to provide future fuel for the community.
NZCEC said out of 137 people surveyed, 12 responded by saying “I’m in, it sounds like a dream come true,” another 33 said they may relocate to Taupo if the price was right, while another 48 indicated a possible interest. Only 32 percent indicated no interest at all.
“The New Zealand public has demonstrated a keen interest in adapting their lifestyles to live in ways that are friendlier to the environment. They want to do their part to help maintain NZ’s 100% Pure, clean green image, they want to find ways of reducing their energy bills, and they want to increase their control over energy supply security," says chief executive Rob McEwen.
He says the project would benefit Taupo’s economy, enticing domestic and international migrants, especially Silicon Valley entrepreneurs looking to make New Zealand their home.
McEwen believes the pitch to these potential residents would go something like this:
“Taupo generates 75 times more clean energy than we consume (and thanks to geothermal, that ratio is growing). We have magnificent natural beauty (think of Taupo as the Tahoe of NZ), we have world class fibre optic internet, we have ample water, we are central to 75 percent of NZ’s population, we are home to the NZ Clean Energy Centre and oh, by the way ... Taupo is developing a comprehensive off grid sustainable lifestyle community.”
He says the next steps are to further quantify interest, then develop the concept to include drawings of the proposed community, a 3D animated walkthrough, and costings.
“We really need to find a developer who’s interested in going down this path and then work with them, alongside Council, to evolve the concept into something that makes sound economic sense for all parties."
One way to make it feasible would be to use semi-rural land on the outskirts of town so that homeowners' investment in the land would be lower.
"Another way is to negotiate reduced development contributions with council. Unlike a typical subdivision where council needs to put in a lot of infrastructure such as water, waste water, power reticulation and phone connections, none of those services would be required in an off-grid community,” says McEwen.
Comments
Phil
Good news. I think that NZ missed opportunity with the 100% Pure NZ brand when we didn't appear to invest greatly or with vigor into green energy. That is we didn't appear to attempt to live the 100% Pure brand. In the last 10 years I know of several countries (I expect more but I'm being careful) that invested several billion into clean energy and clean energy research. I now expect that they are exporting that IP. I hope that the Taupo project goes ahead and whether it succeeds or otherwise I expect a lot of learnings will come from it.
alex hills
33 out of 75 thought it was a good idea? Im amazed. What could possibly put people off?
Its about time. New Zealand could easily convert to 100% renewable energy and we should get onto it ASAP. Other countries have much harder time acheiving this.
I remember visiting a hotel in Taupo in the winter who's owner instructed me to use an air conditioner to cool the room as it was being heated by geo thermal energy in the ground. Why not store the heat energy in the ground for water heating, insulate the room properly from the ground heat and ventilate properly instead? mad waste of energy…
Priscilla lai
The number of participants is not big enough to make the poll reliable. I'm sure over 50% of us would agree that sustainability is our future if more people would be surveyed.
We are lucky enough to live in a paradise with plenty of sunshine and land. We should start thinking not only the use of renewable energy, also the size of our homes; they tend to get bigger and bigger, do we really need to live in a mansion which consumes so much power? Being green is a smart way of living; it is cost-effective and environmental friendly. Kill two birds with one stone. Ka pai!
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