Coal out as University funded to slash emissions

Schools, hospitals, and other state agencies around the country will get a much-needed cash injection to help slash 50,000 tonnes of emissions over the next decade, with the lion’s share to come from Canterbury.

Today Climate Change Minister James Shaw announced a further $13.2 million from the Government’s $220 million State Sector Decarbonisation Fund to buy electric vehicles, and replace coal boilers with cleaner alternatives.

This latest announcement will prevent 51,070 tonnes of carbon emissions entering the atmosphere over the next ten years, and add 127 new electric vehicles to public sector fleets.

So far, the fund has helped state sector organisations across New Zealand purchase nearly 600 electric vehicles, and replace more than 100 coal boilers.

Shaw said over the last four years, Government had laid the foundations for a prosperous, lowemission future for Aotearoa, with the passing of the Zero Carbon Act, and initiatives like the State Sector Decarbonisation Fund. New Zealand was still on track to meet its goal of having a carbon-neutral public sector by 2025, but there was still work to do, he said.

Nearly half of the emissions prevented in the latest funding round would come from Canterbury. Three local projects received a cash boost.

The University of Canterbury would receive $2.16m to finish replacing coal boilers at its Ilam campus, slashing its emissions by 20,000 tonnes over the next decade. The Canterbury District Health Board would get $204,000 to install energy-efficient lighting at Christchurch Women’s Hospital, and Lincoln University would get $198,000 to replace lighting on campus.

In 2018, the University of Canterbury burned more than 6,000 tonnes of coal – an average of 23 tonnes each day. ‘‘This will completely [eliminate] all coal use on campus,’’ Shaw said.

When he visited the campus last year, staff and students he spoke to were appalled to learn just how much of the fossil fuel the university was burning.

‘‘[These are] some of the largest organisations in the public sector in Canterbury. They have the highest energy use and emissions. Many were built decades and decades ago, and they’re still powered by these ancient coal boilers.

‘‘This is something the people involved in these institutions can be proud of.’’