We’re going to start importing coal!

The Herald reports:

Genesis Energy is looking at importing coal as it grapples with a tight wholesale electricity market and a shortage of gas.

So banning further gas exploration is a pretty moronic thing to do then, if you care abotu greenhouse gas emissions.

NZX-listed Genesis Energy’s gas- and coal-powered station at Huntly has been using its two generating units, known as Rankines, to make up the shortfall.

The units can run on gas or coal, but the gas shortage, caused by an outage on the offshore Pohukura production platform, means they have been running on the latter.

Chief executive Marc England said current constraints faced by the market were “exceptional” and should serve as a reminder to the Government, which has stopped issuing offshore oil and gas exploration permits to show its commitment to action on climate change, as to the importance of gas.

“We are close to pushing the button on some coal imports because we need to keep our stocks up at Huntly so that we can keep the lights on,” he told the Herald.

Natural gas has around half the impact coal does on greenhouse gas emissions. Yet the Government has banned further exploration of it, meaning we will import coal.