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Question 5134 (2026)
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Asked by
Steve Abel
List MP · Green Party
Question
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What advice, briefings, correspondence or other communication, if any, has the Minister received on the carbon emissions profile of LNG compared to geothermal energy?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister for Energy
Answer
Wind and solar have lower emissions than LNG but could not solve the dry year issue, as: holding cheap, renewable energy in reserve would be a significant departure from the current market model (where the cheapest form of generation is used first). There would also be (perceived) credibility issues about limiting deployment to dry years. This could have a chilling effect on investment, both in renewables and firm generation.