11. Question No. 11—Energy and ResourcesJONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth) to the Minister of Energy and ResourcesQuestion No. 11—Energy and Resources11. JONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth) to the Minister of Energy and Resources: When she was briefed by the US company 8 Rivers on its proposal to produce abundant hydrogen and urea alongside large-scale carbon capture and storage in Taranaki did she think they made a compelling case for ensuring New Zealand's domestic electricity requirements particularly for dry year cover?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Energy and Resources): As the member notes I recently met with representatives of 8 Rivers. As energy and resources Minister I meet a wide range of stakeholders. At the meeting with 8 Rivers I listened to what they had to say. I explained that the Government has set very clear signals around policy settings and also explained to them that as I am not a Provincial Growth Fund Minister I wouldn't be discussing anything related to their application. As for their case if they choose to proceed this is one of the issues that would no doubt be explored within the proposed feasibility study for the project and all other commercial deliberations. I do note that I made it my business in this portfolio to meet with a broad range of stakeholders in the sector—such as Greenpeace who I met with last week—and not just the narrow vested interests as clearly happened under previous Ministers.Jonathan Young: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister did not attempt to answer the second part of this question regarding ensuring domestic electricity requirements and dry year cover.SPEAKER: I think she effectively confirmed that she didn't. Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Speaking to the point of order Mr Speaker—SPEAKER: Well right. If I misinterpreted the member—Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Yes I did. What I went through for the member in terms of addressing that question is what I did at the meeting and the considerations that I need to take into account and what I informed them of. I wasn't convinced either way or the other. That was not my job in the meeting. Hon Member: Wasn't the question.SPEAKER: I stand by what I said. Jonathan Young: Why does she keep promoting through answers and interviews a Taupō project that manufactures hydrogen from a geothermal power station which emits 28000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year while she shows no or little enthusiasm for a Taranaki project that would manufacture hydrogen with zero emissions?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: I reject the premise of that question. Jonathan Young: Well if the Minister appears to support the outcome of supporting dry year cover through hydrogen as she has stated time and again how is it appropriate to ban new exploration for natural gas if the technology exists to manufacture hydrogen and generate electricity with zero emissions?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: As I've previously said to the member in this House actually what the proposal that 8 Rivers is talking about is a feasibility study; it's not commercial production. And actually the very notion of carbon capture and storage is something the industry has been talking about for a number of years. But this is still at the feasibility stage. I think the member is getting ahead of himself and he needs to read what the application is actually about.Jonathan Young: Why does she continue to say that people have been talking about carbon capture and storage for a long time and that it requires a large amount of investment when international companies that have exploration permits in New Zealand have been successfully utilising carbon capture and storage for over 20 years and why doesn't she come into the 21st century and support that technology?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The reason why I keep saying that people have been talking about this for a long period of time is because they have.