Carbon News
  • Members
    • Login
      Forgot Password?
    • Not a member? Subscribe
    • Forgot Password
      Back to Login
    • Not a member? Subscribe
  • Home
  • New Zealand
    • Politics
    • Energy
    • Agriculture
    • Carbon emissions
    • Transport
    • Forestry
    • Business
  • Markets
    • Analysis
    • NZ carbon price
  • International
    • Australia
    • United States
    • China
    • Europe
    • United Kingdom
    • Canada
    • Asia
    • Pacific
    • Antarctic/Arctic
    • Africa
    • South America
    • United Nations
  • News Direct
    • Media releases
    • Climate calendar
  • About Carbon News
    • Contact us
    • Advertising
    • Subscribe
    • Service
    • Policies

New Zealand: Energy

Govt tweaks offshore energy bill with 'declared areas' model

Wed 17 Sep 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is making changes to the Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to address offshore wind developers' concerns about competing for space with other industries.

Energy Minister Simon Watts

Gentailers told to behave as ministers weigh Frontier review

Wed 17 Sep 2025

The chief executives of Contact, Meridian, Mercury and Genesis met Energy and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts on Thursday for their regular monthly session.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Energy and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts speaking to media.

Watts not considering removing electricity from ETS

Tue 16 Sep 2025

Energy and Climate Change Minister, Simon Watts, says he is “not currently considering” removing electricity generation from the Emissions Trading Scheme, as proposed by NZ First Minister Shane Jones.

Industry struggles with double-digit power price hikes

Mon 15 Sep 2025

As power prices surge by double-digit amounts for the second year in a row, industrial users can’t keep absorbing cost increases, the Major Electricity Users’ Group says.

Coal imports up 650%

12 Sep 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams and Liz Kivi | Coal imports are up 650% as generators stockpile the most polluting fossil fuel ahead of next winter.

More in New Zealand: Energy
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 37 1 of 37 Next
Electric Arc Furnace in action at North Star BlueScope

Milestone for NZ Steel electrification

10 Sep 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | NZ Steel has passed an installation milestone for its new electric arc furnace, which will reduce emissions from the Glenbrook steel mill site by as much as one megatonne (1Mt) a year.

Pohutu geyser in Te Whakarewarewa

First supercritical geothermal site chosen

10 Sep 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | Land within Rotokawa Geothermal Reservoir in the Taupō Volcanic Zone has been selected as a preferred site for New Zealand’s first supercritical geothermal exploration, with design work already underway to develop the first well, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says.

Contact tries again for Southland windfarm

10 Sep 2025

Contact Energy has reapplied for consent for its Southland wind-farm, lodging the project with the new fast-track regime after it was rejected earlier this year.

Meridian reports worst earnings in a decade

3 Sep 2025

Meridian Energy has posted its weakest result in 10 years, with earnings hit by a combination of droughts, low wind and declining gas supply.

Transpower chair Michele Embling

Transpower on track to meet core emissions targets

1 Sep 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | Transpower’s total greenhouse gas footprint increased year-on-year due to higher emissions from its value chain, but the company says that making sure infrastructure is in place to enable the country's energy transition is the biggest contribution it can make to reducing emissions.

Govt resilience plan 'dangerous fantasy' - thinktank

29 Aug 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | An independent thinktank, whose members include former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer and multiple academics, is warning that the government’s long-term resilience strategy ignores physical and energy realities and exposes Kiwi households and businesses to systemic failure.

Profound shifts in our changing energy system – new data

27 Aug 2025

New Zealand’s energy system is undergoing a profound shift as falling gas production and a dry hydro year reshaped the electricity market in 2024, according to data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Energy in New Zealand 2025.

Meridian Energy considers green bond offer

25 Aug 2025

Meridian Energy is considering making an offer of up to $250 million of 6.5 year unsecured, unsubordinated, fixed rate green bonds to institutional and New Zealand retail investors.

NZ must strengthen energy system

19 Aug 2025

New Zealand must keep strengthening its energy system if it is to remain competitive on the world stage while moving towards net-zero emissions, according to a new benchmarking report from the BusinessNZ Energy Council.

Heat pumps could cut household energy bills by $1.5 billion a year

12 Aug 2025

By Liz Kivi | Heat pumps could save Kiwi households hundreds of millions of dollars each year, as well as freeing up energy for industrial users, according to a new report.

Gas pressure intensifies

12 Aug 2025

The pressure from reduced gas supply is pushing industries that rely on cheap gas out of the market in favour of those who can afford to pay more.

Huntly Power Station

Gentailers to stockpile coal under new deal

5 Aug 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | An agreement between New Zealand’s four major electricity generators to establish a 10-year fuel reserve is being labelled a 'climate change stockpile', and could undermine momentum for renewable energy investment.

Waitaki Hydro Dam

Warmer end to winter but dry spell expected over southern lakes

5 Aug 2025

As hydro lake levels hover just below average levels, climate forecasts indicate that warmer than usual weather conditions will reduce demand, but there will likely be less rain over the southern hydro lakes as New Zealand moves towards spring and summer.

Geothermal power station near Taupō

A modest geothermal strategy

31 Jul 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | The Government has unveiled a far more modest geothermal energy strategy than its primary backer, Resources Minister Shane Jones, had sought.

Resources Minister Shane Jones

Last minute change to oil and gas legislation over cleanup costs

31 Jul 2025

By Liz Kivi | The government is expected to repeal the oil and gas ban today, with a last-minute amendment handing discretionary power to two ministers over the controversial issue of decommissioning.

Hiringa chief executive Andrew Clennett

Hiringa eyes green methanol plant near Whanganui

29 Jul 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | Green hydrogen pioneer Hiringa Energy is deep in planning to develop an “eight-to-nine figure” methanol plant near Whanganui, using a combination of biomass and hydrogen produced using renewable energy.

Taranaki mayors want hydrogen kick-start from Wellington

28 Jul 2025

By Craig Ashworth, Local Democracy Reporter Taranaki mayors want central government to partner up with their councils to kick-start a hydrogen industry. This despite ongoing questions about the gas’s effectiveness in reducing carbon emissions.

Electricity Authority’s first steps towards market reform

28 Jul 2025

The Electricity Authority announced its first decision in the raft being considered by its Energy Competition Taskforce work with the Commerce Commission.

Huntly Power Station, the largest thermal power plan in New Zealand.

Is extending Huntly power station to 2035 in consumers’ best interest?

22 Jul 2025

By Simon Orme | COMMENT: Genesis Energy is proposing a cartel to keep high-emitting Huntly Power Station in business to 2035. If extending Huntly has economic benefits, is a cartel necessary?

Importing LNG is feasible, but is it plausible?

18 Jul 2025

Importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a form of energy supply insurance is technically feasible, but an industry-commissioned report raises questions about whether it is financially plausible.

Fast, sustained phase-out of fossil fuels: best-performing countries in coal and transport sectors

10 Jul 2025

By Robert McLachlan | It’s true that climate change is getting worse – it will continue to get worse until emissions fall to near zero. But is action on phasing out fossil fuels really stalling?

North Canterbury locals get say over huge solar farm

10 Jul 2025

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter | North Canterbury residents are being encouraged to have their say on a proposed 180 hectare solar farm on a property near their village.

Basis co-founders Danny Purcell and Julyan Collett

Kiwi ‘smart panel’ startup aiming to reduce energy bills and emissions

4 Jul 2025

NZ start-up Basis this week launched an ‘intelligent’ panel to replace traditional electrical switchboards in homes, which it says can save the average home $1,200 NZD annually on bills and lead to lower emissions.

Electricity Authority maps out battery storage boost to back up renewables

3 Jul 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Electricity Authority has released a draft roadmap outlining how it plans to accelerate the rollout of battery energy storage systems over the next two years, in a bid to future proof New Zealand’s electricity grid as the country shifts to more intermittent renewable energy sources.

Offshore renewable energy bill reported back

3 Jul 2025

The Offshore Renewable Energy Bill has been reported back from select committee with a few changes and the prospect of further amendment on some issues.

SolarZero liquidation complex - but sale possible

1 Jul 2025

It will likely take a long time to sort out the complexities around the liquidation of SolarZero, with a series of claims against the company adding to the myriad complexities in arrangements set up to manage its contracts and obligations.

Huntly deal closer

24 Jun 2025

The major electricity companies’ latest steps to secure the future of the Rankine units at Huntly power station are a major step forward in cooperation to ensure energy security.

Mercury on future and reforms

19 Jun 2025

Mercury said in presentation to investors that it has the potential to develop 5 terawatt hours of geothermal electricity generation post 2030.

Govt signals major change to oil and gas exploration rules

17 Jun 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | Resources minister Shane Jones has signalled a major change to New Zealand’s oil and gas exploration rules, with a plan to remove restrictions limiting oil and gas exploration to defined block offer areas and instead allow exploration permits across all of the country's territory.

Smelter ramps up production

17 Jun 2025

In a sign that the energy sector is increasingly confident of getting through the winter without a fuel shortage, the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter is ramping back up production and electricity demand earlier than expected.

Electric firebricks: decarbonising high-temperature industrial heat

13 Jun 2025

By Ian Mason | A new technology could offer a more cost-effective solution than hydrogen to decarbonise one ‘hard-to-abate’ sector of New Zealand’s economy, as well as having ample potential for demand response as the electricity grid becomes more renewable.

Gas supply reducing faster than forecast

5 Jun 2025

By Liz Kivi | Gas reserves have reduced 27% as of 1 January 2025 compared to last year, according to data released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Surge of lobbying over electricity sector review

4 Jun 2025

Jostling and lobbying have intensified ahead of the release of a review into the electricity sector.

Could ‘orange’ hydrogen be NZ’s key to net-zero?

30 May 2025

By Liz Kivi | New Zealand could be sitting on resources for a thriving multi-billion-dollar, low-carbon hydrogen economy, which might even be capable of creating a net reduction of carbon dioxide, according to scientists.

Energy Minister Simon Watts addressing the CEP conference in Auckland this week

Watts talks big on energy reform, but barriers persist

29 May 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | Energy and Climate Change minister Simon Watts says the government is doubling down on efforts to boost renewable energy generation, streamline regulation, and drive private sector investment as New Zealand faces mounting energy security and affordability challenges.

Electrification challenge for politicians, regulators

27 May 2025

Rewiring Aotearoa is calling for stronger political leadership to bring its vision of a cheaper, cleaner and stronger energy system to life, with the launch of its policy manifesto today.

Business NZ Energy Council executive director Tina Schirr

‘More needs be done’ to restore energy market confidence: Energy Council

27 May 2025

The Business NZ Energy Council (BEC) welcomed the Government’s gas announcement as signalling “willingness to deal with parts of the issue from an energy supply perspective and aims to rebuild confidence in the sector”.

Resources minister Shane Jones

Govt consulting on hydrogen

26 May 2025

The government is consulting on proposed regulatory options for the development of naturally occurring and orange hydrogen.

Public distrust over electricity sector

22 May 2025

A poll found that nearly half of New Zealanders feel more concerned about their power bill than last year and believe breaking up the electricity gentailers could improve competition.

Flick flicked on

20 May 2025

There is a certain irony that one of the most vocal and public critics of the gentailers and the electricity market – Flick Electric – has been taken over by the largest gentailer – Meridian Energy.

Methanex closure comes early this year

14 May 2025

The almost-now-annual closure of Methanex has come earlier this year, giving more confidence that the electricity system will get through the winter without a fuel shortfall.

Genesis reports rising coal, declining gas

2 May 2025

Talks about the future of the third Rankine unit at Huntly continue as Genesis reported a third quarter result that showed the rise of coal and the decline of gas.

Benmore Dam

Energy sector urged to act early to cut risks, build winter buffer

1 May 2025

Transpower has clarified the process for accessing emergency hydro storage ahead of winter 2025, responding to concerns about New Zealand’s security of electricity supply amid a historically dry start to the year.

Winter’s tale of electricity market woes

17 Apr 2025

A study of last winter’s events in the electricity market has confirmed that the major players suffered from high prices, and there was little or no indication of them gaming the market with their wholesale pricing.

NZ provides $10 million boost to Vanuatu's renewable energy efforts

17 Apr 2025

New Zealand is boosting support to Vanuatu to recover from last year’s earthquake and develop its renewable energy sector to the tune of NZ$10 million.

Politics
More Politics >

Climate change collaboration and competition law

Thu 18 Sep 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | The revamped competition law regime needs to be able to take into account the benefits of companies that collaborate for action on climate change, says the panel that reviewed both the Commerce Commission and the Commerce Act.

Agriculture
More Agriculture >

International scientists slam NZ govt's proposed approach to methane

13 Aug 2025

New Zealand's proposed approach to methane emissions has again been attacked by international climate scientists, with a new study saying the attempt to redefine climate target-setting by livestock-exporting countries undermines the transition to a sustainable and equitable food system

Carbon emissions
More Carbon emissions >
Vector reduced fugitive methane emissions using 'gas sniffer trucks' to find leaks in its gas distribution network

Vector hits emissions reduction goal five years early

5 Sep 2025

By Liz Kivi | Auckland lines company Vector has met its 2030 emissions reduction reduction target five years early, more than halving its direct emissions, and crediting innovation and a laser-focus for its success in a hard-to-abate sector.

Transport
More Transport >

NZ needs to be part of a regional SAF strategy: Z, Air NZ

9 Sep 2025

By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand needs to be part of a regional strategic approach to sourcing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with domestic production less the aim than ensuring access to the fuel from one of a number of strategically positioned bio-refineries around the world.

Forestry
More Forestry >

Indigenous forest 'islands' could help transition exotic plantations to native bush

11 Sep 2025

Native forest 'islands' within exotic plantations might be the key to transitioning plantations from exotic to Indigenous, according to new research.

Business
More Business >
Lord Adair Turner

'Non-negotiable' – EU carbon pricing to hit Kiwi exporters, expert warns

11 Sep 2025

By Shannon Morris-Williams | High carbon exports will inevitably face a high carbon tax at the EU border, possibly in the next five years, and high methane agricultural products might not be exempt, an international expert told a local audience yesterday.

More in New Zealand: Energy
Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 37 1 of 37 Next
Carbon News

Subscriptions, Advertising & General

[email protected]

Editorial

[email protected]

We welcome comments, news tips and suggestions - please also use this address to submit all media releases for News Direct).

Useful Links
Home About Carbon News Contact us Advertising Subscribe Service Policies
New Zealand
Politics Energy Agriculture Carbon emissions Transport Forestry Business
International
Australia United States China Europe United Kingdom Canada Asia Pacific Antarctic/Arctic Africa South America United Nations
Home
Markets
Analysis NZ carbon price
News Direct
Media releases Climate calendar

© 2008-2025 Carbon News. All Rights Reserved. • Your IP Address: 216.73.216.122 • User account: Sign In

Please wait...
Audit log: