‘Nobrainer’ hydrogen plant at Tiwai Point

NEW Zealand is in the enviable position of being able to change to green hydrogen to power a sizeable proportion of our motor vehicle fleet. Here’s why.

Tiwai Point is the perfect place to establish a green hydrogen plant. It has everything needed, including a freshwater supply and a bulk green hydroelectric supply already in place.

All we need to do is get rid of the

Rio Tinto aluminium smelter, whose management have been blackmailing both our elected governments and electricity retailers (Meridian Energy in particular) for ridiculously cheap electricity for years.

We no longer need them if we build a green hydrogen plant.

No matter that, as the naysayers will tell you, hydrogen production by electrolysis is inefficient. The benefits outweigh that.

The aim is to use the power available to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and as a consequence reduce our trade deficit, while at the same time reducing motor vehicle air pollution by up to 30% and doing it without large EV batteries, which will themselves be a major pollution problem at the end of their lives.

The smelter uses about 15,000 megawatt hours of power each day, a total of 5.5 million MWh per year.

It takes approximately just 50 kilowatt hours of electricity to produce 1kg of hydrogen gas.

Using the latest hydrogen fuelcell technology, a Toyota Mirai sedan will travel 130km on that amount of hydrogen.

This means a green hydrogen plant at Tiwai Point, using that same amount of electricity, could potentially produce 110 million kg of hydrogen gas, enough to power 38% of New Zealand’s private vehicles or, more sensibly, our entire commercial transport fleet, with some to spare for private vehicles.

In kilometre terms, total distance travelled by motor vehicles in New Zealand is around 50 billion km annually, 76% of which is done by private vehicles.

Hydrogen production from Tiwai point would power 20 billion of those kilometres with the only byproduct being water.

It’s a nobrainer really, isn’t it?

Ian James Abbotsford

Otago Uni statue

A RUMOUR is circulating that the yettoberevealed sculpture across from the clocktower building on the university campus is a monument with a number of key principles carved in stone to mark the beginning of a new and enlightened era. Apparently these are:

‘‘As befits a free and democratic society, this institution will henceforth operate according to transparent, selfmanaging processes.

‘‘Staff and students will: elect all delegates to a reformed University Council; collaborate to implement educational courses and research programmes that meet beneficial academic and societal goals.’’

Consistent with these principles, it is understood that all those currently employed within the existing multiple layers of management will be invited to apply for redeployment into socially useful academic or administrative roles.

It is also understood that visitors who have external political, commercial or military roles will be required to leave their clothing at the main entrance.

However, in the interests of health and safety they will be provided with stout footwear, seasonally appropriate sunscreen and a broadbrimmed hat.

During winter months, such visitors will be encouraged to move along briskly.

Tony Reeder kKuri Bush ...................................

I am the Lord, who makes you holy. — Leviticus 20:8.