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Lake Onslow Hydro Scheme

The Government’s Lake Onslow hydro scheme proposes to effectively turn the South Island rock basin into a massive 5000 gigawatt (GWh) rechargeable battery to power the country during periods of little rainfall or wind, ending its dependence on gas and coal generation. At 5000GWh, Lake Onslow would be capable of storing about the same amount of energy as all the country’s existing hydro schemes combined.

NZ Battery Project

The NZ Battery Project is investigating solutions to the ‘dry year problem’ when hydro catchments are low and fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity to cover the shortfall.Huntly Power Station. Reliance on coal-fuelled power stations will need to be phased out as NZ transitions away from fossil fuels. Photo: Wikipedia.Huntly Power Station. Reliance on coal-fuelled power stations will need to be phased out as NZ transitions away from fossil fuels. Photo: Wikipedia.

The ‘dry year problem’ is that New Zealand’s existing hydro-power catchments sometimes don’t receive enough rainfall or snowmelt and the level of the storage lakes run low. When this occurs some form of back-up is needed, and this is currently provided by fossil fuel generation.

As New Zealand transitions away from fossil fuels and increasingly rely on hydro, wind and solar, the dry year problem may expand to become a dry, calm and cloudy problem.

The NZ Battery project will provide comprehensive advice on the technical, environmental and commercial feasibility of pumped hydro and other potential energy storage projects.

The name NZ Battery refers to the manner in which the intended solution will provide stored energy for the New Zealand electricity system in an analogous manner to a battery.

The first phase will evaluate the viability of pumped hydro schemes of various sizes at Lake Onslow, as well as at other possible locations, and will consider these solutions against alternative methods to resolve New Zealand’s dry year electricity storage problem to achieve 100% renewable electricity and help to decarbonise the wider energy system.

In its ‘Accelerated Electrification’ report, the Interim Climate Change Committee (ICCC) recommended further investigating pumped hydro as a possible solution to the dry year problem. The NZ Battery Project will identify and investigate possible sites for pumped hydro, as well as at Lake Onslow in Central Otago, as part of the feasibility study, and other alternative technology approaches as comparators. Following rigorous assessment of all options, a feasibility study will be developed for the preferred option or options.

Find out more about the NZ Battery Project.

What is pumped hydro storage?

Pumped hydro technology involves transferring water between two reservoirs at different heights. Water flows from one reservoir to the other through tunnels, passing through a power station. When electricity demand is low or when surplus power is available, electricity is used to pump water from the lower reservoir to fill the upper reservoir. When water stored in the upper reservoir is released, it flows down the tunnels to drive turbines that generate hydro-electricity. Water in the upper reservoir effectively acts as a ‘battery’, as it can be released to generate electricity when it’s needed during times of high demand or during dry years.

Feasibility exploration

On Thursday 14 October 2021 it was announced that a consortium of specialist firms have been awarded a major contract to advance the New Zealand Battery Project’s feasibility investigation into a pumped hydro storage scheme at Lake Onslow. See the latest news article for more information.

In this section

  • Our Mahi
    • Te Ara Aukati Kore - Education, Training, and Capability
      • Anamata Māia: Brave, Bold & Confident Futures Service
        • Core Service Values
        • Our Kaimahi - Staff
      • Have your say!
    • Southern Ocean - Murihiku ki te Tonga
      • Subantarctic Islands
      • The Ross Sea Sector
      • Research and Monitoring
    • Green Energy
      • He Honoka Hauwai - German-NZ Green Hydrogen Centre
      • Clean Energy Workstream
        • Working Group - Meet the Team
        • Renewable Energy Strategy
        • Documents - Key Reading
        • Have your say
      • Hydrogen and Green Energy
      • Hydrogen and Climate Change
      • Bell Bay Hydrogen Cluster
      • Lake Onslow Hydro Scheme
      • Murihiku Southland Regional Energy Development Plan -Transpower and PowerNet -Calling for Feedback and Comments
    • Tiwai Future
      • Preliminary Closure Study
      • Cultural Significance of Tiwai Point
      • Environmental significance of Tiwai Point and surrounds
      • Tiwai Point - a contaminated site
      • Key documents and further reading
      • Have your say
    • Te Ao Tūroa - Environment
      • Hokonui Rūnanga Kaupapa Taiao
      • Te Tapu o Tāne Ltd
      • Climate change
      • Have your say
    • Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities
    • Regional System Leadership
      • Building leadership across the takiwā
    • Just Transition
      • Have your say!
    • Southern Green Hydrogen Project (SGH)

Latest news

Nominations now open for Murihiku whanau to be a part of creating a new brand of identity for Green Energy Project

Murihiku Regeneration is coordinating the establishment of a new Cultural Identity Group to creating a new brand identity for the Southern Green Hydrogen Project. Nominations are now open for applications to be a part of this group. Southern Green Hydrogen is the name given to a hydrogen facility… Read more

© 2023 Murihiku Regeneration • Website by RS

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Meet the team
    • Structure and Context
    • Office of Upoko
    • Te Rūnaka o Awarua
    • Waihōpai Rūnaka Inc.
    • Ōraka Aparima Rūnaka
    • Hokonui Rūnanga
    • Our Partners
      • MSD Community Connection Service
    • Job vacancies
  • Events
    • Energy and Innovation Expo 2023
      • He Ao Hou - New Futures Murihiku 22 May
      • Live Streaming of Wānanga 23 and 24 May
      • Hosts and Key Speakers 23-24 May
      • Energy and Innovation presentations - 23 May
        • Opening Addresses
        • Global Session
        • Empowering partnerships: government's role in Aotearoa's energy transition
        • Climate Economics
        • Regional Infrastructure
        • Social regeneration and innovation
        • Regional Innovation
        • The importance of the Māori economy through this change
      • Energy and Innovation presentations - 24 May
        • Regional Leadership Panel
        • Regional Plans and Priorities
        • Southern Green Hydrogen
        • Tiwai Smelter Future
        • Southland Aquaculture
        • Regional Case Studies: Decarbonisation
        • Innovation and Bluff Re-imagining
        • Confirming Priorities: wrap-up and closing
    • Science and Innovation Wānanga 2021
  • Our Mahi
    • Te Ara Aukati Kore - Education, Training, and Capability
      • Anamata Māia: Brave, Bold & Confident Futures Service
        • Core Service Values
        • Our Kaimahi - Staff
      • Have your say!
    • Southern Ocean - Murihiku ki te Tonga
      • Subantarctic Islands
      • The Ross Sea Sector
      • Research and Monitoring
    • Green Energy
      • He Honoka Hauwai - German-NZ Green Hydrogen Centre
      • Clean Energy Workstream
        • Working Group - Meet the Team
        • Renewable Energy Strategy
        • Documents - Key Reading
        • Have your say
      • Hydrogen and Green Energy
      • Hydrogen and Climate Change
      • Bell Bay Hydrogen Cluster
      • Lake Onslow Hydro Scheme
      • Murihiku Southland Regional Energy Development Plan -Transpower and PowerNet -Calling for Feedback and Comments
    • Tiwai Future
      • Preliminary Closure Study
      • Cultural Significance of Tiwai Point
      • Environmental significance of Tiwai Point and surrounds
      • Tiwai Point - a contaminated site
      • Key documents and further reading
      • Have your say
    • Te Ao Tūroa - Environment
      • Hokonui Rūnanga Kaupapa Taiao
      • Te Tapu o Tāne Ltd
      • Climate change
      • Have your say
    • Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities
    • Regional System Leadership
      • Building leadership across the takiwā
    • Just Transition
      • Have your say!
    • Southern Green Hydrogen Project (SGH)
  • Latest News
  • Contact