New Zealand: Energy
Crest expects Kaipara tidal power decision next week
8 Aug 2008
Crest Energy could know by Tuesday whether it has the go-ahead for its Kaipara tidal energy scheme.
Coal-seam gas exploration operations to begin
8 Aug 2008
L&M Petroleum is pleased to announce that it has entered into a contract with Washingtons Exploration Limited’s to use its Rig #8 to drill the first three coal seam gas (CSG) wells to be drilled in the Company’s 2008 CSG exploration programme.
Unhappy Argent questions future of NZ biodiesel industry
5 Aug 2008
Argent Energy, which last week announced it is pulling out of plans to invest $100 million in biodiesel in New Zealand, is questioning the future of the industry.
'Too busy' Key suddenly finds time to meet power station opponents
5 Aug 2008
National Party leader John Key has now found time in his diary to meet opponents of Genesis Energy’s proposed gas-fired power station near Helensville as the community splits over allegations that the generator is buying local support.
Tiny turbines to power Antarctic science station
5 Aug 2008
Wind turbine maker Proven Energy has won the contract to supply eight of its small six-kilowatt turbines for Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth Antarctic research station.
Biofuels player pulls $100m plug on New Zealand plant
1 Aug 2008
A British biofuels company is pulling its $100-million investment out of New Zealand, blaming the Government’s Biofuels Bill.
ANALYSIS: Show faith in our emerging biofuels industry
1 Aug 2008
Today’s news that UK-based Argent Energy is pulling out of New Zealand because of what it sees as the distorted biofuels market which the Biofuels Bill has failed to address should sound large alarm bells in Government circles – but will anyone be listening?
National not opposing Helensville gas-fired power station plan
1 Aug 2008
The National Party says that it is “not intrinsically opposed” to Genesis Energy’s proposed power station in party leader John Key's Helensville electorate.
TrustPower rides rocky RMA road to win Mahinerangi approval
1 Aug 2008
The Environment Court’s interim decision to approve TrustPower’s proposed Mahinerangi windfarm in Otago brings the first stage of building one step closer - but the company remains frustrated by RMA snarl-ups.
Government reopens marine energy chequebook
1 Aug 2008
The second round of Government funding for marine energy development is open.
Millions on research could mean billions in earnings
29 Jul 2008
Research into renewable energy is booming – and could lead to multi-billion-dollar earnings if New Zealanders can get their products to the market first.
Coal, wind, waves - the hunt is on for hydrogen energy
25 Jul 2008
Research is under way in New Zealand to produce hydrogen energy from coal, wind and biomass – and maybe even waves.
Energy authority cock-a-hoop over Tegel heat recovery success
25 Jul 2008
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority is using Tegel Foods as a reference site for the efficiency of its own carbon dioxide emissions reduction incentive scheme.
Goldsmith organisation condemns plans for importing biofuels into NZ
25 Jul 2008
The Pacific Institute of Resource Management, headquartered in Wellington, and which has London-based environmentalist Edward Goldsmith as a director, believes that in importing biofuels into New Zealand will revert to the plantations and indentured labour era.
Neptune in turbine talks over Cook Strait tidal energy plans
22 Jul 2008
New Zealand marine energy pioneer Neptune Power is in negotiations with the Newcastle-on-Tyne-based manufacturer of its prototype turbine about forming a tidal energy turbine company.
Meridian building windfarms in Australia and Antarctica
22 Jul 2008
Meridian Energy is spreading its wind farm expertise offshore – taking a 50 per cent holding in the Southern Hemisphere’s largest wind farm, being built in Australia, and working on projects in Antarctica.
Contact plans wind farm for Southern Hawke's Bay
22 Jul 2008
Contact Energy has launched plans for a $500 million, 65-turbine, 177 megawatt wind farm near Dannevirke.
National Party hopeful targets Indonesian coal used at Huntly
18 Jul 2008
The importing of “safe” coal from Indonesia as a substitute for our own plentiful – but more politically sensitive - variety is a National Party plank that will resonate between now and the general election.
Biofuel subsidies waste of money, says OECD report
18 Jul 2008
Government subsidies for biofuels are not helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new OECD report.
Pure Power looking to up New Zealand investment
15 Jul 2008
Singapore-based bio-energy company Pure Power is on the look-out for more investment opportunities in New Zealand.
Crest waits for Kaipara nod as Portugal prepares to plug in to wave power
15 Jul 2008
While Portugal gears up to launch the first commercial ocean energy generators, Crest Energy’s proposed Kaipara tidal energy project might take another step forward next week after the committee reviewing its resource consent application meets.
Waste-to-biofuel developer wins $12m in state funding
15 Jul 2008
A New Zealand company with plans to turn industrial waste gases into biofuel will receive $12 million of Government science funding.
Contact Energy’s pending parent determined to go nuclear
15 Jul 2008
Centrica, the UK parent of British Gas, which seeks to acquire Origin, and thus New Zealand’s Contact Energy, is involved in talks with EDF, the French power utility.
Gas the way to go for home heating, say manufacturers
11 Jul 2008
Switching to gas and LPG for heating our water, our homes and for cooking could reduce New Zealand’s CO2 emissions by nearly two million tonnes each year and provide an important interim step towards renewable energy solutions, say New Zealand’s gas and LPG associations.
New gas system will make it easier to switch supplier
11 Jul 2008
Competition in the gas retailing sector will get a boost from March when a simplified system will make switching retailers easier.
Branch out into willow, biofuel maker urges farmers
8 Jul 2008
An international renewable energy company with strong roots in New Zealand is looking for local farmers to plant willow for biofuels and bioproducts.
Wind-generated electricity blows past 2007 figures
4 Jul 2008
The contribution of wind energy to New Zealand’s electricity supply has increased significantly, figures released yesterday by the Ministry of Economic Development show.
Energy summit chance for power players to let off steam
4 Jul 2008
The timing of the Energy Summit to be held at Te Papa in Wellington on the September 15 and 16 will turn up the heat on the energy sector as an election issue.
Contact Energy drops Environment Court appeal against Meridian wind farm
27 Jun 2008
Contact Energy has dropped its Environment Court appeal against Meridian’s Project Hayes wind farm, saying that the issues that prompted its appeal have already been well canvassed during the Trustpower Mahinerangi consent hearings.
Genesis starts $100 million entry into carbon market
20 Jun 2008
Electricity giant Genesis Energy will need to surrender $100 million in carbon credits to the Government in 2011 - and executives leave for Europe today on a mission to start buying them.
Solid energy assessing coal-to-transport fuel scheme
20 Jun 2008
Solid Energy is in the assessment phase of a scheme to convert lignite into premium transport fuels.
Pike River coal manages emissions and looks forward to price increases
20 Jun 2008
Pike River Coal is poised to take advantage of demand from Japan that will double the price of coking coal in the next year alone, says McDouall Stuart which acted as lead manager for Pike River Coal’s 2007 IPO and 2008 rights issue.
Extreme low hydro inflows reduces TrustPower's profit outlook
18 Jun 2008
The New Zealand major hydro storage lakes have been as low as 49% and are currently 55% of average for this time of the year and the electricity industry has commenced a nationwide power savings campaign.
Lights out for the incandescent bulb
18 Jun 2008
The traditional incandescent light bulb is on its way out, as part of a strategy for more energy efficient lighting announced today by Energy Minister David Parker and Government Spokesperson on Energy Efficiency and Conservation Jeanette Fitzsimons.
Kiwis cut power use 2%, advertisements and rain now due
13 Jun 2008
The Winter Power Group advised today that television advertisements encouraging consumers to become ‘powersavers’ will begin this Sunday 15 June.
Hydro lakes at their lowest this year
13 Jun 2008
National Party Energy spokesman Gerry Brownlee says for the sake of the country he hopes the forecast heavy rains make a real difference to the southern hydro lakes this week.
Kaipara marine energy plan worries fishermen
12 Jun 2008
More than half the 121 objectors to Crest Energy’s Kaipara Harbour tidal energy project say they are worried about the impact the project will have on fishing.
Push for wider use of geothermal energy, using "low heat" resources
12 Jun 2008
New Zealanders will have more opportunity to use heat energy drawn directly from the ground in the future as a result of research being led by GNS Science.
US$100m, 20MW roof-top solar power plan detailed
12 Jun 2008
More details have come out about US company Duke Energy’s $100 million investment in commercial-scale rooftop solar panels.
O'Reilly: No excuse for faltering energy supply
12 Jun 2008
Secure electricity supply is fundamental for business and there’s no excuse for the current faltering supply, says Business NZ.
Mobil joins the biofuel parade
12 Jun 2008
Mobil is selling a 98 octane fuel containing up to 10% ethanol (E10), and a 91 octane fuel containing up to 3% ethanol.
Power saving radio and TV ads to start this weekend
11 Jun 2008
Transpower confirmed yesterday the electricity industry will step up current efforts to conserve power and is extending the public information campaign to include radio and television advertising, starting this weekend.
First personal carbon trading scheme launches
11 Jun 2008
The world's first real time personal carbin trading scheme has launched.
The big debate comes down to heated towel rails?
11 Jun 2008
The debate over whether or not enough's being done to encourage power savings has come down to heated towel rails.
DOC - Crest Energy allays our concerns over Kaipara tidal energy project
10 Jun 2008
The Department of Conservation, who originally opposed Crest Energy’s tidal energy project in the Kaipara Harbour, now says that many of its initial concerns have been addressed through consultation with Crest Energy and the Northland Regional Council.
Public power savings campaign likely to start this weekend
10 Jun 2008
TV advertising by the electricity industry is likely to start this weekend to further encourage homes and businesses to be prudent with their power use, Energy Minister David Parker announced yesterday.
Brownlee: So there IS a power crisis
10 Jun 2008
National’s Energy spokesman, Gerry Brownlee, says he hopes Labour’s belated admission that there is a power crisis has not come too late.
TrustPower: Kiwi power users fortunate to have shelter from world fuel prices
10 Jun 2008
TrustPower welcomes the introduction of a national energy savings programme, the occasional need for which it says should not be regarded as a bad thing.
Green MPs respond to power problem: Fridges get the flick
10 Jun 2008
It's the little things that make a big difference, say Green MPs. So they've turned off the fridges in their offices.
Spot electricity index down slightly in the past week
10 Jun 2008
The M-co spot electricity price index for the week ending June 8 shows a slight drop on the previous week.
Green building council calls for clean energy policies
18 May 2026
The New Zealand Green Building Council has released its 2026 election manifesto calling for policies to reduce energy waste in buildings, lower household and business energy costs, and improve New Zealand’s energy security.
Greens condemn planned coal mine next to protected wetland
4 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party says a new plan for a coal mine and fertiliser plant next to an internationally significant wetland is “ecological vandalism and climate denial.”
Climate pollution static but NZ still on track for first emissions budget, says MfE
17 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand is still on track to meet its first emissions budget, according to the Ministry for the Environment, despite the pace of emissions reductions slowing to a standstill.
NZ at risk of falling behind on EV transition
Fri 22 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | An EV lobby group is warning that New Zealand is at a crossroads on transport electrification, with inconsistent policy settings and lagging charging infrastructure slowing uptake, while global adoption accelerates and fuel price shocks renew interest in electric vehicles.
Govt presses ahead with forestry rule changes despite opposition
14 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is pushing ahead with changes to commercial forestry rules despite most submitters opposing the proposals, with critics warning the reforms will weaken councils’ ability to manage erosion and forestry slash risks in vulnerable regions such as Tairāwhiti.
Victorian Hydrogen announces Southland urea fertiliser project using coal
22 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Australian-based Victorian Hydrogen has announced it is developing a new 1.5 million-tonne-a-year urea fertiliser operation in Southland, which it will apply for under fast-track legislation.
