GREEN ENERGY HUB
A vision for a 21st Century think big project at Marsden Point
These are examples of innovative technologies that might be possible at Marsden Point. Not all will be winners for New Zealand and there are some like bio-fuels which are not extensively shown here. But with a New Zealand owned refinery as our base we have the opportunity to make a giant leap towards a healthier environment and economy through much better use of technology.
Oil Refinery
- Powered by Waste to Energy plant
- Ensures fuel security for NZ as new technologies come on stream
- Pipeline for transport of fuel to Auckland
- Tankers for supply of fuel around NZ
- Continues investigation into Hydrogen production and bio-fuels
Carbon Capture
- Powered by energy from the Waste to Energy plant
- Directly removes CO2 from the atmosphere
- Produces fuel as a substitute for oil
- Injects CO2 back into the peat soils around Marsden Point
Desalination & Wastewater
- Powered by energy from the Waste to Energy plant
- Produces fresh water from seawater
- Purifies waste water from other plants and commercial/residential sources
- Sludge goes to Waste to Energy plant
Waste to Energy
- Takes waste from around the country by rail and coastal shipping
- Waste from around the Pacific by ship
- Extensive waste separation
- Plastic goes to Plastic to Fuel plant
- Produces power for the other plants and for the Refinery
Plastic to Fuel
- Powered by energy from the Waste to Energy plant
- Uses plastic recovered from the Waste to Energy plant turning it into
(a) a fuel substitute for oil
(b) new plastic feedstock for plastic production
Plastic to Plastic
- Powered by energy from the Waste to Energy plant
- Uses plastic recovered from the waste stream turning it into new plastic feedstock for plastic production
Benefits
to the environment and the economy
- Cuts fuel costs to business, industry, and transport. Currently the profit on fuels is a major factor in the cost of fuel and therefore the cost structure of business so feeds into their charges.
- Cuts the drain on our foreign exchange reserves from profits made by the overseas owned oil companies and rubbish companies (the two that control the lion’s share are Chinese owned) being paid out to overseas shareholders.
- Stops the current trend for penalty taxes to be imposed on the public, on farmers (Ute tax), road users (fuel taxes), businesses and industry (rubbish disposal taxes). These add to the cost structure of business and feed into their charges.
- Provides a major boost for the Northland economy drawing other businesses to move to or set up in the region.
- Stops the development of the proposed Dome Valley rubbish dump with all the potential risks of pollution that might bring to the Kaipara Harbour.
- Breaks the stranglehold the oil companies have on fuel supply. The refinery would become a wholesaler of fuel selling at a common price, allowing smaller retail operators to enter the market and provide real competition at the pump.
- Reduces the need for wage increases for the general public, which only contribute to inflation. Because it reduces costs to business, industry, and transport they would be expected to reduce their prices.
- Provides for major investment in rail to transport waste to Marsden Point or to coastal ship loading points. This would allow rail to become the major mover of bulk freight across the country.
- Requires investment in the port to improve its capacity. It could become the major container port as Auckland’s port capacity nears an end.
- Provides momentum for the four lane highway from Whangarei to Marsden Point needed to provide a safe and easy transport link for workers from Whangarei and the wider district. A passenger rail link to the port would also become viable.
- The fuels produced by the green energy projects would reduce the pressure for urgent major investment in electricity generation and network upgrades (although additional capacity needs to still be on the table).
- Once set up, the various plants would charge based on a cost recovery basis, not a profit basis, but charges would include a reserve for maintenance and upgrades
This is where the money will come from
New Zealand's government (taxpayer) owned Reserve Bank which has created around $60 billion in the last 18 months
New Zealand's Government-owned bank will create the money for this productive investment to protect our critical energy capacity and drive future technological development.
It will not come from the private sector that would normally borrow money created by the commercial banks to develop such projects. Private sector borrowing requires payment of interest and debt back to the commercial banks and is costed into project prices. It simply enriches overseas bank shareholders putting pressure on our overseas balance of payments.
So, at no cost to taxpayers, government will spend money sourced from its own bank without incurring interest or needing to repay debt.
After all, why would the government need to pay itself back for money sourced from its own bank.