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Heather du Plessis-Allan: Wokesters are learning the hard way about coal usage

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Fri, 11 Jun 2021, 4:57PM

Heather du Plessis-Allan: Wokesters are learning the hard way about coal usage

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Fri, 11 Jun 2021, 4:57PM

Do you know what I’m loving today? 

The wokesters learning the hard way the meaning of the phrase ‘unintended consequences’. 

Turns out we are burning coal at a rate we haven’t seen in a long time.

In just the first three months of the year we burned more coal than in the whole of 2016 and 2017 combined.

That was summer, people. 

Imagine what it’s going to be like when we see the coal use numbers for winter.

Because we are burning right now like there’s no tomorrow because we are so short on water in the hydro lakes even Methanex has been asked to cut production to keep our lights on. 

Any of those greenies regret the gas ban now? 

Because gas burns at half the rate of greenhouse gas emissions that coal burns at.

And coal ain’t going nowhere. 

As long as we rely on wind and rain for power… we will always need coal or gas on the days that wind and rain is low. 

Ah, but we’re going to run out of gas soon so… coal it is.  

And by the way… any of those greenies regret that we’re not using New Zealand coal at Huntly? 

Because we are importing coal at a rate of 1.1 million tonnes last year.

If we were using New Zealand coal… you’d only have to get it out of the ground, ship up the country to Huntly and have a relatively small carbon footprint.

Instead… we’re shipping it in from Indonesia… which means huge emissions even getting it here 

Before we even light it. 

So… I hope the greenies are still enjoying their gas ban and the fact we don’t mine much coal nowadays.

Because both of things mean we’re hurting the planet more than we otherwise would’ve done 

Unintended consequences, eh? 

Don’t say we didn’t warn you. 

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