New Zealand:

New Zealand Geothermal Power Generation Hits Record Level (Stuff.co.nz)

(Courtesy CIA.gov)

Geothermal electricity generation in New Zealand rose to its highest level on record last month, as power from Mighty River Power (MRP)'s new Ngatamariki plant started to feed into the grid, but the glass ceiling appears to be close.

As it stands, geothermal power plants produce about 14 per cent of the country's electricity, ranking behind hydro at 54 per cent and gas-fired at 20 per cent.

It is expected to grow in the short term as Contact Energy's 130 MWe Te Mihi plant emerges from the development phase soon, and MRP's 82 MWe plant ramps up to full production.

The addition of further geothermal assets has been welcomed by the energy market, with the base load generation helping to smooth out supply from more volatile renewable power sources such as wind and hydro.

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