New Zealand: Energy
Geothermal best bet, says Contact
25 Feb 2011
Geothermal energy is New Zealand’s most strategically important renewable energy resource, says Contact Energy.
Lignite mining could send emissions soaring
18 Feb 2011
Solid Energy’s proposed lignite projects in Southland could add 10 million to 20 million tonnes to New Zealand’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.
Windfarm decision worries developers
18 Feb 2011
A decision to let only part of the proposed Tiritea wind farm go ahead has got wind energy developers worried.
Lanzatech takes on international exec
4 Feb 2011
A New Zealand company turning algae into oil has appointed an international government relations manager.
Kiwi bach shows off power of solar
4 Feb 2011
A solar-powered bach is New Zealand's entry in an American competition designed to showcase solar-energy innovation.
Investment in five wind farms tops $250m
21 Jan 2011
More than $250 million is being invested in new wind farms in New Zealand - and all without government subsidy.
Solid Energy happy to sit on lignite facts
10 Dec 2010
Solid Energy says it will be some time before it releases figures about greenhouse gas emissions likely to come from proposed lignite developments in Southland.
Windflow rights issue raises $3 million
10 Dec 2010
Windflow Technology says it has raised more than $3 million in its latest rights issue.
EECA 1 - bioenergy all the rage
26 Nov 2010
The 2010 EECA Awards have been dominated by bioenergy in various forms – showing an increasing interest from Kiwi businesses in new forms of renewable energy.
EECA 2 - top honours to Te Kuiti
26 Nov 2010
A small earth-moving and transport company from Te Kuiti was praised for "putting larger peers to shame’"when it took top honours in the transport category in the 2010 EECA Awards last night.
EECA 3 - pig-power in Taranaki
26 Nov 2010
Taranaki pig farmer Steve Lepper has found an original source of electricity – his own pigs.
EECA 4 - two crowns for Christchurch
26 Nov 2010
Its innovative use of bioenergy and its highly efficient civic building have won Christchurch City Council two trophies in the 2010 EECA Awards.
UK opening for turbines excites Windflow
19 Nov 2010
Moves by the British Government to encourage the development of small-scale renewable energy through feed-in tariffs are a golden opportunity to get into that market, says New Zealand’s Windflow Technology.
Asia seen as hub of renewable energy
5 Nov 2010
Asia will be at the forefront of the shift to renewable energy, says the organiser of a major industry conference.
Carbon trade transparency key, says manager
22 Oct 2010
The carbon market needs to develop with predictable, transparent practices, says an electricity sector manager involved in buying forward carbon.
NZ wind turbine makes California breakthrough
22 Oct 2010
New Zealand's Windflow Technologies is to build two turbines in California.
Solar returning to the White House
8 Oct 2010
There are to be solar panels on the White House, but not on the Beehive.
Delays frustrate Kaipara tidal energy developer
24 Sep 2010
Endless planning delays are hindering investment in marine energy in New Zealand, says the man behind plans for a tidal energy plant on the Kaipara Harbour.
Brownlee chuffed with geothermal figures
17 Sep 2010
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee is hailing a shift from coal to geothermal electricity generation as a sign that the market can deliver on climate change.
Maari reaches ‘10 million barrel’ milestone
17 Sep 2010
The Maari oil-field produced its 10 millionth barrel of oil this week, marking a significant milestone in the field’s history.
Meridian, landowners talk on North Bank hydro project
17 Sep 2010
Meridian Energy has begun consultation with landowners on a proposed design for the North Bank Hydro Project.
Bioenergy material going to waste, says report
10 Sep 2010
More than a quarter of New Zealand's energy needs - and nearly a third of our transport fuels - could come from energy crops and materials that are currently wasted, according to a new report.
LanzaTech signs for first coal-to-biological-fuel project
10 Sep 2010
New Zealand's LanzaTech has signed a deal with one of China's largest coal producers to produce fuels and chemicals from waste.
Mighty River likes look of carbon market
3 Sep 2010
Mighty River Power says it has ideas that could see its involvement in the carbon market stretch beyond buying credits to offset its own liabilities.
We pay $11m too much, say major power users
3 Sep 2010
The Emissions Trading Scheme is costing large commercial electricity users $11 million a year more than it should, the Major Electricity Users Group claims.
Go for natural gas - the price is right
3 Sep 2010
The global economic situation is making it easier for companies to switch from carbon-rich coal to more environmentally friendly natural gas.
Top Energy sells Fiji operation
20 Aug 2010
After almost four years operating in the Fiji Islands, local electricity generation and lines network company, Top Energy has announced it has sold its operations there.
Meridian to build huge Aussie wind farm
13 Aug 2010
Meridian has done another deal to build a wind farm in Australia.
Coal-fired station predicts cut in emissions
6 Aug 2010
Genesis Energy – operator of the carbon-coughing Huntly coal-fired power station – says its emissions levels for the past financial year are down on the previous year.
Mighty River offers carbon deals to landowners
6 Aug 2010
Mighty River Power wants to do more deals with landowners for carbon credits.
Lightbulbs - so you think you know the difference
6 Aug 2010
A new experiment suggests that most New Zealanders can’t tell the difference between the light from convention lightbulbs and the new energy-efficient models – despite thinking that they can.
Fuel prices mainly unaffected by ETS
6 Aug 2010
Retail fuel prices remained virtually unchanged during July, despite the introduction of the Emissions Trading Scheme, says a petrol-price watchdog.
Official energy website wins award
30 Jul 2010
The government's Energywise website has won at an award at this Internet Industry Awards, held at Parliament this week.
Vector shows off first of new-tech solar systems
23 Jul 2010
The electricity distributor behind today’s launch of the country’s largest thin-film solar panel installation predicts such schemes will be commercially viable within three to five years.
NZ energy firm finds Aussie scheme profitable
23 Jul 2010
A New Zealand company is making money out of Australian schemes to improve energy efficiency.
Government releases energy update
23 Jul 2010
The Government has released draft updates of the country's Energy and Energy Efficiency And Conservation strategies.
Businesses could carve $2b off energy bills
2 Jul 2010
New Zealand businesses could shave $2 billion off the country’s $16 billion annual energy bill – and cut the country’s Kyoto bill - by adopting some simple, relatively inexpensive measures.
Company tax cut puts $21m on Vector's books
18 Jun 2010
The company tax rate cut from 30 per cent to 28 per cent will provide energy company Vector with a one-off $21 million net profit benefit.
Renewable generation remains high
18 Jun 2010
Renewable electricity generation remained high at 73 per cent of total electricity generation in the March 2010 quarter, Minister of Energy and Resources Gerry Brownlee says.
LanzaTech eyes oil and coal waste gases
11 Jun 2010
Emissions-to-ethanol pioneer LanzaTech is turning its sights on the oil and coal industries.
'Sensible' Norway halts new oil drilling, say Greens
11 Jun 2010
The Greens are calling on the Governent to follow Norway's lead and put a moratorium on new oil exploration drilling until such time as the Deepwater Horizon incident has been fully investigated.
Inventor claims he's beaten energy storage problems
4 Jun 2010
A New Zealand inventor says he has come up with a cheap and practical way of storing solar energy for heating buildings.
Kiwis 'throwing away millions' in electricity savings
4 Jun 2010
New Zealand households are collectively paying at least $129 million a year more than they need to in electricity charges by using inefficient light bulbs, according to new statistics released this week.
Power companies explain ETS price rises
28 May 2010
At least one of the power companies implementing price rises on the back of the Emissions Trading Scheme is basing its calculations on the maximum carbon price.
Big player Genesis turns carbon market builder
14 May 2010
Big-emitting Genesis Energy is using its size to help to build liquidity in the fledgling New Zealand carbon market.
Kiwi companies eye $800m Canberra fund
14 May 2010
New Zealand companies might be eligible for a slice of an $800 million Australian pie.
Gull might import ethanol to meet fuel demand
23 Apr 2010
Gull Energy says it is considering importing ethanol because of a lack of Government support to get the local industry moving.
We're putting $650b into renewable energy
23 Apr 2010
Global Investments in renewable energy are expected to reach $US653.35 billion by 2015, a new report says.
Solid Energy lawyers check out free credits
9 Apr 2010
Solid Energy is investigating whether it qualifies for free credits under the emissions trading scheme.
Coal users count the cost - but how much?
26 Mar 2010
Coal users are about to find out just how much carbon could cost them.
Gene tech reforms face political split
Thu 23 Oct 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams |The Government’s Gene Technology Bill continues to divide Parliament, after the Health Select Committee released its long-awaited report last week outlining key recommendations and lingering concerns.
Council buys dairy farm to help clean up Lake Rotorua
21 Oct 2025
Bay of Plenty Regional Council has bought a 266-hectare dairy farm in the Lake Rotorua catchment and plans to retire it from production to reduce nitrogen entering the lake.
Emissions down slightly - Stats NZ
Fri 24 Oct 2025
By Liz Kivi | Greenhouse gas emissions fell 1.5% in the June 2025 quarter, although the decline seems to reflect the economy continuing to contract rather than Aoteoroa inching towards decarbonisation goals.
NZ’s government wants tourism to drive economic growth – but how will it deal with aviation emissions?
Wed 22 Oct 2025
By Robert McLachlan, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University | Following a brief dip during the COVID pandemic, aviation is back in a growth phase.
Emails show forestry lobby fought Gisborne crackdown as slash clean-up drags on
26 Sep 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Sustainable land use advocates are accusing Eastland Wood Council of stonewalling efforts to tighten forestry rules, after correspondence between the group and the local council was released under the Official Information Act.
Climate reporting rollback raises risk of 'flying blind', experts warn
Today 11:30am
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Government plans to drastically narrow mandatory climate disclosures may reduce compliance costs in the short term – but critics say it will leave New Zealand with major blind spots in tracking climate risk.
