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    New Zealand's energy policy from the world system perspective : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1994) Debahasatin, Jutha
    The World-System Theory of Immanuel Wallerstein is a grand-scale theory that is useful as a framework to understand how New Zealand's path of development has been affected by the country's energy policy. The theory is appropriate in application to energy issues because its macro-level of analysis puts emphasis on both exogenous and endogenous factors. Its special emphasis on historical background and context also adds to an understanding of the New Zealand position. The World-System perspective offers three major concepts directly applicable to the case of New Zealand energy policy, namely, the interplay between politics and economics with a particular interest in the role of multinational corporations (MNCs) and the state, the notion of semiperiphery, and the cyclical nature of the world economy. During the period of the 1970s economic downturn marked by two oil crises, New Zealand as well as most other countries and the MNCs suffered a severe setback. However, while most core states, as well as some successful non-core states and the oil majors, could react appropriately to the crises and retain their potential for growth, the semiperipheral New Zealand could not. The country possessed few options because of her intermediate level of industrialisation and less competent state apparatus compared to the MNCs involved. Lacking the intention to promote local industrial capitalists, the New Zealand state chose wrong strategies, first Think Big and then disinvestment, which together have undermined the bargaining position of local entrepreneurs, over-committed the national hydrocarbon resource and disproportionately promoted the interest of the foreign oil corporations. The overall outcome of the energy policy is therefore detrimental to the country's development.
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    The renewable energy and energy efficiency potential of Waitakere City : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Technology in Energy Management at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2005) Grooby, Lloyd D
    Electricity restrictions and blackouts have occurred in Waitakere City in the past and are likely to occur again in the future unless the city can become more self reliant by meeting, at least in part, the increasing energy requirements for what is one of the fastest growing cities in New Zealand. In this study the potentials for energy conservation, energy efficiency and renewable energy resources have been broadly quantified and assessed using desktop analysis of publicly available data for stationary final use energy systems (i.e. excluding transportation) within the geographical area of Waitakere City and adjoining waters. It was found that energy efficiency and energy conservation measures can consistently and predictably achieve overall energy savings and reduce daily and seasonal peak demand. The best renewable energy resource potential exists with solar and geothermal for heating applications and wave, offshore and inshore wind and tidal currents for electricity generation. There is very limited potential for hydro and bioenergy systems beyond what already exists. PV solar and land based wind power generation are currently only feasible for limited off-grid applications. This scoping study confirms the achievability of the vision expressed in Waitakere City Council's "Long Term Council Community Plan" (LTCCP) that by 2020 " Waitakere City will be an energy cell, not an energy sink. Air quality supports good health". A range of flagship projects have been identified to progress the achievement of this vision. Waitakere City Council can use this report as part of the development of a comprehensive energy management plan.
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    The role of energy supply in the shaping of development prospects in small and isolated Pacific Island communities -- past, present and future : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Manawatu Campus, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2015) Cole, Peter Sherwin
    The thesis examines the way that energy supply has influenced directly or indirectly the transformation of society in Niue and Tuvalu from the time before the arrival of palagi (Europeans) to the present day. Of particular interest is the vulnerability that this reliance creates in terms of the risk to people’s wellbeing. Most of New Zealand’s South Pacific neighbours have to import energy in the form of oil products. In the case of Niue and Tuvalu, over 90% of their energy is imported, largely paid for through aid from overseas donors. Like New Zealand, people in both countries rely on energy to maintain their livelihoods and lifestyles. There is near 100% electrification and vehicle ownership is high and government and commercial enterprises that provide services and employment rely on continuous and affordable energy, the supply of which is highly vulnerable to economic and political pressures beyond their control, a situation not expected to improve. The thesis addresses four questions: how and why this situation has come about, would these two communities be able to adapt to a much reduced or changed energy supply, what steps are being taken to reduce this dependency before a crisis occurs and whether these steps are likely to be effective. The research used the sustainable livelihoods approach to develop an integrated research methodology including field methods and a novel, systematic form of analysis. Field research methods involved interviews, conversations and observation. The results of the research are set out in narrative form that reviews changes to livelihoods in Niue and Tuvalu over time from the arrival of palagi to the present day. The narrative is followed by an original sustainable livelihoods analysis, the output of which is a series of livelihood profiles including livelihoods asset pentagons that illustrate changes in livelihood assets. A parallel series of “livelihood energy pentagons” were developed to demonstrate the influence of energy on livelihoods. The same method of analysis is used to analyse an “energy-deprived” future scenario, postulated in order to illustrate the impact on livelihoods in Niue and Tuvalu should the supply of oil-based fuels become severely constrained. The narrative and the analyses show that the role of energy has changed from having an essential role although limited in form, in supporting people’s traditional livelihoods to one that enables the full spectrum of services on which contemporary livelihoods rely in Niue and Tuvalu. The analysis of the energy-deprived scenarios underlines this reliance by demonstrating the serious and negative impact on contemporary society should imported fuel supplies be seriously disrupted. Current plans by the two governments to reduce reliance and imported fuel supplies are reviewed and this thesis concludes that while proposed measures go some way to mitigating the impact of a fuel supply disruption, the consequences of such a disruption will still be severe. A recommendation is made that both governments prepare strategic action plans that specifically address fuel supply disruption by emphasising a focus on endogenous rather than exogenous energy sources.
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    Developing a set of energy sustainability indicators for New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Environmental and Resource Planning at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1995) Wadsworth, Craig William
    Modern New Zealand society relies on the ability to use a number of different resources in order to function effectively. The continued existence of that society therefore requires a continued supply of those resources. Sustainable management, which focuses on enabling present generations to satisfy their needs and wants without adversely affecting the ability of future generations to do the same, is a key concept in ensuring the continued supply of resources. It also reinforces the fact that human society is linked with and has an impact on the functioning of numerous ecosystems. The concept of sustainable management highlights the effects of present decisions on the resource in question and on the linkages that those decisions have with other resources and other aspects of the functioning of the environment and society. One of the key resources that is affected by the concept of sustainable management is energy. New Zealand society is totally dependent on energy to enable it to continue to function as it does at present. It is therefore important to ensure that there is a sustainable supply of energy that will continue to meet the foreseeable needs of New Zealand energy consumers, without causing significant adverse effects on the other matters that comprise a sustainable society. Some form of monitoring must be undertaken to determine whether energy is being managed sustainability. This thesis seeks to establish a regime of indicators to monitor energy use in New Zealand in terms of the major tenets of sustainability and to apply those indicators to the New Zealand energy system in order to assess the current state of energy use in New Zealand. There are two stages to achieving the aims of this thesis. The first is to establish the scope of the monitoring programme. This process involved a number of steps. First was a literature review of various formulations of the criteria of effective indicator design and the establishment of a set of criteria that collated this work. A further literature review was undertaken to establish the key tenets of energy sustainability. A survey was then undertaken of the monitoring regimes that are presently in operation or are being developed in New Zealand and around the world. Given the base information that was provided by the reviews and the survey, the next step was the development of the indicators themselves. The final stage of the thesis was an application of those indicators that could be developed within the constraints of existing data collection regimes. The results of this process clearly demonstrate that New Zealand is on an unsustainable energy path. Most of the indicators demonstrate a movement to an unsustainable state. Specific indicators that show this trend are the level of carbon dioxide emissions, energy intensity, renewable energy use, reliance on imported oil products, total primary energy supply (that is, total energy use) and household expenditure on energy. Although the levels of economic rent being earned by ECNZ are high, it is difficult to form a conclusion about this indicator as it is uncertain how these profits are used once they are paid into the consolidated fund. While real energy prices are decreasing, a number of the benefits of this decrease are being lost as consumption levels increase. As well as providing an insight into the nature of energy use in New Zealand, this thesis highlights a number of issues concerning the state of information concerning indicator development, energy sustainability and the state of energy data collection in New Zealand. There is an abundance of information available concerning indicator development, so much so, that there is little to be gained from developing the issue further. By contrast, there is a paucity of detailed information concerning energy sustainability. The majority of that information either focuses on one issue in great detail or takes a very generalised global picture. What is needed is information that fits between these two levels, so that multi-objective sustainable energy management policies can be developed. The most serious concern is however directed at the state of the energy statistics that are available. There are numerous omissions from the data that is available and numerous inconsistencies. Specific matters to be addressed focus on increasing the subject coverage and the geographic coverage of the data. The time periods that data applies to and the consistency of the collection also need attention.
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    Renewable energy system design : a guide to the application of photovoltaic, wind, and micro-hydro power : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Horticultural Science in Agricultural Engineering at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 1992) Weiss, Samuel David
    The primary objective of this study was to produce a guide for the application of photovoltaic, wind, and micro-hydro power to remote areas. The applications considered are those of generating electricity, and pumping water. An extensive literature review introduces and covers the main design considerations for each energy form. The primary decision-making areas are then examined, beginning with a look at the theory of electricity, and going on to discuss generators, inverters, energy storage, and mechanical transmission. Next, the assessment of the demand over a given time interval is considered. The key questions of, "How big a system is required?", and, "How much energy will be produced?", are addressed for each energy form, along with various design considerations. For each of the energy forms the issue of quantifying the resource is examined in detail. The factors influencing the amount of power available are presented for each. This process of quantifying the power available is essential in order to be able to choose the optimum type of renewable energy to use for a given application in a specified location. Dealing with them together in one document allows the different energy forms to be assessed side.by side, and a preliminary decision on the most promising type made. For both wind and photovoltaic energy a computer model was created. drawing on available theory, in order to generate charts to assist in the design process. The photovoltaic design charts enable sunshine hour data to be converted to radiation in Kwh/m2, and radiation on a horizontal plane to be converted to that received on a plane inclined at a specified angle. Other charts were produced which enable the most cost effective combination of array and battery to be selected for a given situation. The wind charts specify the amount of power which can be produced from a wind turbine with given characteristics operating in a specified wind regime. The photovoltaic and wind design charts produced by the models enable the size of the relevant system required to be determined for a given situation. This information then allows a costing to be done to determine the cost of generating energy with a particular method. The procedure for evaluating and determining the true cost of the energy produced. based on life cycle costing, is then examined. This can then be used to assess the most economical means of meeting any particular demand.
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    The development of a decision support system for energy cost management, using an expert system shell : a case study in the integrated use of software packages : report presented in fulfilment of the thesis requirements for the degree of Master of Technology (Computing Technology)
    (Massey University, 1989) Robertson, L J
    The theory of minimizing total energy usage is well known (if not well documented), and the techniques are widely practiced. Because of the way in which energy is sold, the total cost incurred may be affected even more strongly by the time-distribution of the energy usage, than by the total quantity used. A major subject of ECM is the MANAGEMENT of this time-distribution of energy usage, with the objective of minimizing of total energy costs to the user. A software package (named ECMES, Energy Cost Management Expert System) has been developed using the Lotus Symphony integrated spreadsheet software package. The ECMES application consists (currently) of three modules offering analyses of several aspects of electrical energy cost management (plus three corresponding modules for gas costs, which are not considered further). The Symphony ECM application modules have been developed over the last few years, largely on a spare time basis, by Professor W Monteith of Massey University's Production Technology Department. The analysis of Energy Cost Management on a PC is one which requires functions supplied by several standard software packages, particularly spreadsheet, graphics, database and expert system. The relatively recent availability of moderately priced and user-friendly expert system development packages has brought an additional set of powerful tools within the reach of the application developer. A Decision Support System (using an Expert System shell) has been developed, which is well integrated with the spreadsheet data, and with a database, to expand the functions of the original spreadsheet ECM analysis tool. Theoretical work on the data requirements and the production rules has opened up possibilities for future work.