NZ manufacturing energy use enough for 5.3 million households

By NZPA

Thursday 22nd March 2007

A survey into the use of energy in manufacturing found the industry used nearly 152 petajoules of energy in a year, roughly the amount needed for 5.3 million households.

Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) said the survey had filled in gaps in what was known about how energy was used in this country.

The information would be fed into modelling systems and used as a calibration tool and benchmark.

For now no timetable had been set to repeat the survey, carried out by SNZ in collaboration with the Ministry for Economic Development and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.

Covering the year to March 2006, the survey found that wood and paper product manufacturing was the largest user of energy with 38% of the total used in manufacturing.

Half that energy came from wood and wood-waste products, SNZ said.

The food, beverage and tobacco industry was the second-largest user of energy, accounting for almost 24% of the total energy used in manufacturing.

Metal product manufacturing used 20%.

Electricity was the energy type used in the greatest quantity, accounting for almost 35% of the total, while wood and wood-waste produced 19% of the total energy used in manufacturing.

Natural gas also accounted for 19% of the total energy used in manufacturing, while 12% came from coal, and just under 10% from petroleum products.

Just over 1% of industrial sites in this country reported generation occurring on site, SNZ said.

In many cases the generation plant was owned and operated by a third party, often an energy company.

Energy reduction targets were set by 21% of businesses, 55% of whom reported having successfully met previous energy reduction targets.

57% of businesses reported actively recording and monitoring their energy use.

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