Fund backs farm eco boiler
A central government fund dedicated to projects that reduce emissions has paid $5 million towards a ‘‘biomass boiler’’ at a massive capsicum farm.
The $5m funding for the boiler, which will allow the capsicum and avocado farm to use renewable materials instead of relying on gas, was part of $13m worth of announcements made by Energy Minister Megan Woods yesterday.
The money came from the third round of the Government’s Investment in Decarbonising Industry Fund, which has already spent $55.8m.
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority said the funding announced yesterday would save 38,883 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. The entire decarbonisation fund, worth $68.8m so far, had led to greenhouse gas emission reductions of 364,127 tonnes each year. That was the equivalent of taking 134,800 cars off the road, it said.
Southern Paprika Ltd, which operates huge glasshouses north of Auckland to grow capsicums, avocados and tomatoes, received just under $5m for the biomass boiler that it said would reduce greenhouse gas emissions from heating by 70%.
Under the name Gourmet Paprika Ltd, it received a further $575,250 for insulation screens at its glasshouses.
Woods said the $13m of government funding would be matched by $32.66m of investment from business. ‘‘The fund is about encouraging innovation and supporting early adopters of technologies that can be replicated by others,’’ she said.
The other projects that had funding confirmed yesterday included money for a West Coast beef and lamb producer, Anzco, to replace its coal boiler with an electric boiler and hightemperature heat pump. It received $1.08m.
A textiles manufacturer in Oamaru that creates carpet and works with wool, Canterbury Spinners Ltd, received $1.37m for a heating system.
A range of other companies, such as Talley’s and DB Breweries, also received funding for similar projects.
In a statement, Climate Change Minister James Shaw said these projects were needed to ensure the country was well placed to drastically cut emissions.