NZ needs fossil fuels for years to come - Parata

New Zealand, like many overseas communities, will remain dependent for fossil-fuel energy sources "for some time to come", says acting Energy Minister Hekia Parata.

"We want to make sure we have a very mixed and diverse portfolio of options to ensure both security of supply and renewables," she said today.

"Both New Zealand and the wider international communities will be for some time yet dependent on some of the fossil fuel-based energy options."

Whether renewable energy came from hydro power, wind turbines or even solar energy, New Zealanders needed to be sure that when they turned on an electric switch, the light would come on, even it there was a drought or the wind had stopped blowing.

"As we (make the) transition to a low-carbon future we still do have to ensure that we have platform that is reliable -- and that includes fossil-fuel-based options," Ms Parata said

She noted that coal contributed only 6 percent of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.

The nation was getting 74 percent of its energy from renewable sources such as hydro and wind, said the minister, who told Parliament's commerce select committee that work was also under way on electricity from marine energy generators at the Chathams, which had relied heavily on diesel generators in the past.

Chatham Islands Marine Energy Ltd (Chime) was last year awarded $2.16 million to install a shore-based device to capture wave energy, and power two 110 kilowatt turbines on the south-west coast of Chatham Island.

There was also a resource consent for one entrepreneur, Crest, to install turbines near the entrance to Kaipara Harbour, and there was also interest in a wave-power prototype to be sited off Wellington's south coast.

Though the Government's target was 90 percent of electricity from renewable sources, fossil-based fuels such as oil, gas and coal would continue to be used, because it wanted electricity supplies to be both affordable and secure, Ms Parata said.

Base generation capacity would be needed for times when some renewable generation was not available, such as when the wind stopped blowing over windfarms.