GNE - Genesis Energy

[Marilyn Munroe]

If NZ coal production is subject to export contracts, then it would make sense to import for Huntly's stockpile. Also I think the type and grade of the coal can be important.

I am not sure how the cost of extraction from NZ mines for the volumes required compare with overseas sources of coal.

Coal exported from the Buller mines is metallurgical coal used in steel making and thus commands a premium over steaming coal. It would not be economic to use this coal to raise steam when steaming coal even when transported from far away is cheaper.

NZ has no large easy mineable deposits of steaming coal like for example the US Powder River Basin. This means importing is the most economic option.

Chrystal ball gazing time: A 1,00Mw thermal generating plant should be built adjacent to the Auckland Isthmus. Yeah I know. It would cause a large section of NZ's population to start rending their garments.

Boop boop de do
Marilyn

[RTM]

Coal exported from the Buller mines is metallurgical coal used in steel making and thus commands a premium over steaming coal. It would not be economic to use this coal to raise steam when steaming coal even when transported from far away is cheaper.

NZ has no large easy mineable deposits of steaming coal like for example the US Powder River Basin. This means importing is the most economic option.

Chrystal ball gazing time: A 1,00Mw thermal generating plant should be built adjacent to the Auckland Isthmus. Yeah I know. It would cause a large section of NZ's population to start rending their garments.

Boop boop de do
Marilyn

Thanks. 'Spose that's good as we not ripping up big areas of NZ just so we can turn the lights on.

[Marilyn Munroe]

Spot electricity prices spiked to $4,900 at Otahuhu 8:00AM this morning.

Common practice at overseas coal powered generating plants is to have two stockpiles of coal. One, the largest, is standard steaming coal with is used in ordinary operations. The other is high heat value quick burning coal which is used to raise output quickly in situations such as this mornings spike.

I don't know if Huntly uses this practice. Does the control room yell down the speaker tube telling Paddy the stoker to start shoveling from the other stockpile and make some cash for the shareholders?

Boop boop de do
Marilyn

[mike2020]

I was listening to the radio in the car yesterday and they were discussing this exact thing. Reefton has all the answers.

[Waikaka]

Coal exported from the Buller mines is metallurgical coal used in steel making and thus commands a premium over steaming coal. It would not be economic to use this coal to raise steam when steaming coal even when transported from far away is cheaper.

NZ has no large easy mineable deposits of steaming coal like for example the US Powder River Basin. This means importing is the most economic option.

Chrystal ball gazing time: A 1,00Mw thermal generating plant should be built adjacent to the Auckland Isthmus. Yeah I know. It would cause a large section of NZ's population to start rending their garments.

Boop boop de do
Marilyn

True that Buller is high quality bituminous coal ideal for coking coal. Not used to 'steaming' coal terminology but ill swap that out for one I am used to which is thermal coal.

Maramarua (204,790 tonnes in 2022) and Rotowaro (406,848 tonnes in 2022) in the Waikato still produce plenty of thermal coal. Mainly for Fonterra for milk processing and Glenbrook for steel. Wouldn't be that hard to get enough production for Huntly but unfortunately the cheapest Indonesian thermal coal is high ash and high sulphur, China banned it about 10 years ago making it the cheapest thermal coal in the market. No standards here so GNE chooses to screw local workers and the environment both in Indo and here to save a few bucks.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ng-almost-15bn

Your correct we don't have a deposit like Powder river basin but plenty of mapped thermal coal resources in the Waikato we could use to save some Indonesian rainforest, help our balance of trade and make a few local jobs. Better if Labour hadn't gutted the gas industry, then this wouldn't be the crappy trade off we are left with.

[kiora]

Some background info here

https://www.gem.wiki/Huntly_power_station

"is fuelled by a blend of local and Indonesian coal, gas from south Taranaki’s Kupe field, and recently, Canadian wood pellets, pressed and processed to resemble the thermal efficiency of coal, albeit without the emissions."

https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/a/nz-...athedral-power

[xafalcon]

True that Buller is high quality bituminous coal ideal for coking coal. Not used to 'steaming' coal terminology but ill swap that out for one I am used to which is thermal coal.

Maramarua (204,790 tonnes in 2022) and Rotowaro (406,848 tonnes in 2022) in the Waikato still produce plenty of thermal coal. Mainly for Fonterra for milk processing and Glenbrook for steel. Wouldn't be that hard to get enough production for Huntly but unfortunately the cheapest Indonesian thermal coal is high ash and high sulphur, China banned it about 10 years ago making it the cheapest thermal coal in the market. No standards here so GNE chooses to screw local workers and the environment both in Indo and here to save a few bucks.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ng-almost-15bn

Your correct we don't have a deposit like Powder river basin but plenty of mapped thermal coal resources in the Waikato we could use to save some Indonesian rainforest, help our balance of trade and make a few local jobs. Better if Labour hadn't gutted the gas industry, then this wouldn't be the crappy trade off we are left with.

The Huntly power station is literally, built on top of a coal mine. I believe this is why it was located there, to access local coal. And just up the road was Meremere, which used to have a cool bucket line that carried coal from a mine on the other side of the river

It is such a sorry state of affairs, when coal beneath the foundations of the power station is being overlooked and Indonesian coal is transported 5000km(?) by sea and trucked 100km from the port. No wonder NZ Inc is falling further and further down the prosperity index

But I think this situation is probably being played by GNE to leverage financial backing of the coal stockpile and the overhaul of the NZ electricity market which heavily penalises GNE with the Max Bradford pricing mechanism

[Bobdn]

Tonight/tomorrow morning, Genesis, with its beautiful coal burners, will stand between us and blackouts/ economic oblivion.

I may have mostly deserted the Genesis ship with my pitiful 1000 shares to get outlandish returns in foreign shores, but I'm still an owner. I'd be shoveling coal for free if given the chance (well, food would have to be provided).

[Bobdn]

My monster Rinnai gas heater is doing the business at the moment. I'm doing my best to take pressure off the electricity market which appears to be out of control just now.

Burning barrels of oil(edit: diesel) at Whirinaki is expensive!

[Panda-NZ-]

Why can't the govt compensate rio to shut down the aliminium smelter during days of high demand.

Or.. fast track the withdrawal.