9. Question No. 9—Energy and ResourcesJONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth) to the Minister of Energy and ResourcesQuestion No. 9—Energy and Resources9. JONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth) to the Minister of Energy and Resources: Does she stand by all her statements and actions in relation to the energy and resources portfolio?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Energy and Resources): Yes. Jonathan Young: Is the Minister aware that 6 terawatts of energy is enough to power 60 billion 100-watt bulbs at the same time—over five times as many lightbulbs as are in use on the whole planet—and does she still stand by her statement yesterday that New Zealand produces 6 terawatts of surplus energy every summer? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: What the member fails to understand is the capacity that we have in this country—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! No. I've just had enough of quite a number of members on this side of the House shouting down Ministers at the same time as some of them are trying to convince me that there is an issue in this area. Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Thank you Mr Speaker. What I said yesterday was that the capacity that we overproduce in the summer months we actually have the technology coming on stream to store and what the member needs to understand is that the amount that we need to produce by 2050 to meet the energy needs of this country is absolutely achievable for us. Transpower tells us that the nearly doubling of the generation of electricity that we need can largely be produced through hydro and wind and geothermal—80 percent of it—and we know that the storage technologies that are coming on stream such as hydrogen and batteries are more than up to the task of storing the overproduction in the times of surplus. Jonathan Young: Can the Minister point to anywhere in the world where capacity exists to store 6 terawatts of generated power and if not how soon does she think this will be available in New Zealand? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The capacity to store our overcapacity is something that Transpower in its recent report said is certainly within our purview. So if we look at the generation scenarios that Transpower put out in its Energy Futures report it talked about coal generation of electricity in 2015 being 6 percent zero percent by 2030 and by 2050 zero percent and likewise a similar downturn for gas but what it does show is a rapid rise in renewables and storage being a part of that. It is in our purview to do this and that member should have some confidence in our ability as a country to do it. Jonathan Young: So when the Minister said to me yesterday I invite that member to join the 21st century." given that not a single large-scale or credible commercial molten salt or hydrogen energy storage facility is yet in existence was she speaking to me from the 22nd century? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: If that member wants to have a serious conversation about something that is vitally important to this country that member should well be aware—and is aware I am sure—that this month we are seeing a sod turning on a hydrogen plant in the central North Island. This is happening and I invite that member to ask for a briefing on this and I'll get my officials to give it.Jonathan Young: When the Minister referred yesterday to Transpower saying we need to double generation to make the transition to a low-carbon energy system and said "that equates to 4.5 wind farms per year equivalency" how many megawatts of installed capacity would each of those 4.5 wind farms need to be?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The Transpower report says we need to double capacity by 2050. What it says is that that equates to the equivalency of 4.5 wind farms from 2025. What the report also notes is that changing technologies means you cannot pin it down in the way that the member is asking. What it does say is that 80 percent of those requirements through to 2050 will be able to be delivered by hydro solar and wind technologies and there will need to be storage facilities to make up the gap there. It also points to the fact that it needs Government to back research and development in the area which of course is what this Government is doing with over $1 billion investment behind businesses that want to do that kind of research and development throughout our R & D tax credit.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. With respect for a Minister to say on the one hand that we need 4.5 new wind farms a year and then not be able to say what capacity those wind farms would have I think is not answering the question. While it might be convenient for the Minister to run to some of the more flowery paragraphs contained in the Transpower report this specific point would be: what is the capacity of the 4.5 wind farms that this country requires each year out to 2050?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Speaking to the point of order if that member would like me to read through the pluses and minuses through to the 2050s I'm happy to do it or pass it on.SPEAKER: I have read the report. The member has read us far too much of it already.Hon Gerry Brownlee: You can't give us a number. Hopeless.SPEAKER: Order! Order! Mr Brownlee look the member's had a fair go today. There's been a degree of tolerance to him this week. I am now going to ask him to settle down for the rest of it.Jonathan Young: Sir I support the point of order and you have not made a decision.SPEAKER: No there is no point or order. I have ruled that there's not.Jonathan Young: Sir so there is no requirement for the Minister when she makes a very specific statement the day before to quantify that the following day?SPEAKER: Unless the member has the wit to put it down as a primary question there is no requirement."