Renewable electricity on rise - Brownlee

Renewable electricity generation is on the rise - up 8 percentage points last year, Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee says.

The New Zealand Energy Data File released today by the Ministry of Economic Development showed in 2008 annual renewable electricity generation was at 65 per cent and that rose to 73 per cent for the 2009 calendar year, the minister said.

"The 2009 figures are more in line with the Government's future expectations - renewable generation will continue to rise."

In 2008 there were unusually high levels of electricity generated from coal. In 2009, total installed capacity of wind-powered electricity generation increased by 55 per cent to nearly 500MW.

- NZPA