Science Centres: Energy
Hydro lake storage: early signs of concern
Monitoring toxic hydrocarbons in Auckland's air
Bury it down a deep hole
Improving air quality monitoring
Monitoring toxic hydrocarbons in Auckland's air
Auckland smog.
Toxic volatile hydrocarbons (known as VOCs) are emitted by vehicles and pose health risks for people breathing urban air.
The Ministry for the Environment has identified four VOCs in petrol – benzene; 1,3-butadiene; formaldehyde; and acetaldehyde – as 'priority organic contaminants' for monitoring.
The Auckland Regional Council has contracted NIWA to conduct the first long-term continuous monitoring of benzene and 1,3-butadiene in this country.
Improving air quality monitoring
Array of PM10 monitoring instruments - St.
Bury it down a deep hole
Capturing carbon dioxide from large point-sources, such as power stations, and storing it in carefully selected deep geological reservoirs may form a significant part of a portfolio of future greenhouse gas mitigation measures.
Lake Tekapo
Spring and summer are the usual fill-up seasons for the Southern Alps hydroelectric reservoirs, with Lakes Pukaki and Tekapo representing 55% of the country’s hydropower storage. The third largest hydro-storage lake (Lake Taupo) relies more on winter rainfall recharge.
NIWA is predicting normal rainfall in the Southern Alps for November-January, but normal to slightly-below-normal river flows into the Southern Alps' hydroelectric storage due to less spring-summer snowmelt from the recent poor snow season.
