New Zealand's Coal Consumption 1878 - 2009. Source: New Zealand Government Ministry of Economic Development Energy Data File 2009, New Zealand.[2]
Coal mining produced 5.3 millions tonnes of coal in 2010, of which over 2 million tonnes were exported.[2] New Zealand coal reserves are in excess of 15 billion tonnes, mainly in Waikato, Taranaki, West Coast, Otago and Southland.[2] Over 80% of the reserves are in Southland lignite deposits worth $100 billion. Coal is produced from four underground and 21 opencast mines.[3] The largest coal mining company is Solid Energy, a state-owned enterprise.
There is an increasing opposition to coal mining and and the use of coal due to the effects of mining on the natural environment and because of the effects on climate change. The Save Happy Valley Coalition, as well as other groups, campaigned against the Cypress Mine due to it's location in an unmodified wetland and the effects on endangered species.
