Topics tagged with 'Energy'
Heavy emitters: ETS bill changes not sufficient
18 Jun 2008
The Climate Change (Emissions Trading and Renewable Preference) Bill has not been changed sufficiently to allay concerns that industry will struggle to stay profitable in New Zealand, according to the Greenhouse Policy Coalition, which represents large industry across a range of sectors.
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.
It’s official – China takes over from the US as the world’s worst polluter
17 Jun 2008
China, New Zealand’s newest and potentially largest international trading partner, has taken over from the United States as the world’s worst carbon dioxide polluter, a new study shows.
Toshiba doubles target in bid to slash carbon dioxide emissions
17 Jun 2008
Toshiba, Japan's largest supplier of reactors, doubled planned cuts to its carbon dioxide emissions over the next 17 years by promoting the use of nuclear energy and lights which consume less energy.
ETS back in Parliament
16 Jun 2008
The emissions trading scheme is back before Parliament, with new proposals to widen the allocation of free credits and to allow lower-emitters into the scheme.
National's full minitory report on ETS bill
16 Jun 2008
National has released its miniority report on the ETS bill.
Business Council: Changes soften way for ETS, reach limit of public acceptance
16 Jun 2008
Recommended changes to the emissions trading bill as reported back will protect New Zealand industry from any unfair offshore competition and probably push assistance to major emitters to the limit of public acceptance
Overall, the market feels well bid
16 Jun 2008
A mixed bag on the energy markets saw carbon weaken slightly ahead of the weekend.
Big-spending business votes to buy green, says country can't risk going slow on climate change
13 Jun 2008
New Zealand can't afford to run the strategic risks involved in delaying climate change management - "simply to placate those who must adjust most, or resist adjustment”, business people in Auckland were told yesterday.
Backroom deal guts agricultural targets: Greens
13 Jun 2008
A backroom deal between the Government and the agriculture sector has gutted the industry's voluntary emissions targets and directly contradicts Government policy, according to Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons.
Companies reporting sustainability data enjoy higher gross margins
13 Jun 2008
Companies that report sustainability data generally experience higher gross margins and return on sales, higher return on assets, and stronger cash flow and rising shareholder return.
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.
ARC calls on Aucklanders to help save energy
13 Jun 2008
Auckland Regional Council chairman Michael Lee is calling on Aucklanders to do their bit for the national energy saving campaign.
"Outrage" at AWE burning 17 million cu ft of natural gas daily at Taranaki
13 Jun 2008
An Auckland Central canddiate says he is outraged that an Australian firm is burning off New Zealand's precious natural gas resources at a time of unprecedented petroleum costs and energy shortages
Manufacturers call for better approach to domestic electricity demand
13 Jun 2008
The domestic use of electricity to ensure that all users, domestic, commercial and industrial can respond to supply shortages needs a more strategic response..
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.
Heavy emitters' bull turned loose in Maori Party's china shop
12 Jun 2008
The heavy emitters' organisation yesterday launched a public attack on the Maori Party in a move which might indicate it has given up on getting the party's support to delay the ETS bill.
NZ Wood urges caution over concrete carbonisation claims
12 Jun 2008
The forestry industry body NZ Wood says that the concrete industry needs to be realistic about its claims about concrete’s ability to absord CO2 revealed in Carbon News report yesterday.
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.
British companies unveil £2bn carbon reduction plans
12 Jun 2008
Britain's largest energy and industrial companies have announced that they are looking at the possibility of implementing a £2 billion plan to capture carbon and store it in caverns.
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.
$400,000+ price-tag for NZIER report?
11 Jun 2008
The secretly funded NZIER report on the potential impacts of the emissions trading scheme may have cost at least $400,000.
Maori party attacks proposed heavy emitter subsidies as “outrageous”
11 Jun 2008
The Maori Party’s co-leaders yesterday described the proposed 90% subsidy of heavy emitters under the emissions trading scheme as “outrageous”, indicating a tough line in any support for the ETS bill.
Holcim researching concrete’s CO2 absorption potential
11 Jun 2008
Concrete’s reputation as a carbon-emissions bad-boy is under review as Holcim enters the second phase of research into the capacity for concrete to absorb atmospheric CO2.
Japan embraces emissions trading - trial scheme to launch
11 Jun 2008
One of New Zealand's major trading partners, Japan, will trial a carbon trading regime later this year.
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.
Expulsion of Shell from Ogoni, Nigeria hailed
11 Jun 2008
The expulsion of Shell Oil from Ogoni country in the Niger Delta by the Nigerian Government has been hailed in Wellington by the Environment and Conservation Organisations of NZ.
Better metering will cut household power use 20%
11 Jun 2008
With a power crisis looming – and household costs skyrocketing – Kiwis need better information to make energy savings without jeopardising their health, according to Gary Mitchell, Managing Director of Centameter.
Carbon prices meander in choppy trading
11 Jun 2008
Carbon prices meandered throughout the day in choppy trading as German power prices edged slightly higher and oil gave back some recent gains.
Solid Energy one of NZIER emissions trading study funders
10 Jun 2008
State owned enterprise Solid Energy is one of the funders of the NZIER’s study on the possible economic impacts of the emissions trading scheme.
Scoping work under way to enhance register for start of ETS
10 Jun 2008
The public service is waiting for the ETS bill to become law before appointing people to key new roles administering emissions trading.
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.
Retailer lead Marks & Spencer going carbon neutral in four years
10 Jun 2008
Retail leader Marks and Spencer says it aims to be carbon neutral by 2012.
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.
FORUM: Despite global warming gloom, every cloud has a green lining
10 Jun 2008
By Paul Harper. - Current economic and political mindsets need to change in the face of future environmental challenges, according to the head of the United Nations environmental programme.
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.
IEA shows way to sustained economic growth based on clean energy
10 Jun 2008
Tokyo -The world faces the daunting combination of surging energy demand, rising greenhouse gas emissions and tightening resources.
No need to take IEA advice to quadruple nuclear power, says Greenpeace
10 Jun 2008
Tokyo, Japan -- Publication yesterday of the International Energy Agency's (IEA) latest energy forecast, to coincide with the start of the G8 Energy Ministers meeting, recognises that half the world's energy could be supplied by renewable sources by 2050.
$40m electricity price subsidy revealed, new geothermal on early
9 Jun 2008
Cabinet will today consider a range of measures to manage the impact of the drought and low hydro lakes on the electricity system – and a price-cushioning $40 million Government subsidy on power produced at the standby Whirinaki plant has been revealed.
Air NZ biofuel move will boost domestic demand, says BANZ
9 Jun 2008
The Bioenergy Association says Air New Zealand’s decision to test a biofuel for its planes will stimulate demand in New Zealand for biofuels in general - even if the national carrier is looking off-shore for its fuel.
Note reveals China's central bank working on cap and trade scheme
9 Jun 2008
China's central bank has drawn up a tentative outline for a domestic emissions trading scheme that could cover everything from greenhouse gases to water pollutants, and speed the country's push for greener growth.
Austral Pacific delists from AMEX
9 Jun 2008
New Zealand-based exploration and production company, Austral Pacific Energy Ltd. has begun the process to de-list from the American Stock Exchange (AMEX).
Conservation land open for voluntary carbon market schemes
Tue 12 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The government is to open up the Crown-owned conservation estate to private investment in voluntary carbon market projects.
Govt moves to block climate change litigation
Tue 12 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s move to limit lawsuits holding climate polluters accountable for damage is putting the interests of big emitters ahead of communities, according to Lawyers for Climate Action.
$30m airline fund risks ‘burning public money’ without lasting benefit – expert
20 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A $30 million government package to support regional air routes risks delivering poor value for money while increasing emissions, according to transport strategist Tim Adriaansen.
Europe has 'maybe six weeks of jet fuel left', energy boss warns
20 Apr 2026
Stocks would reach a tipping point in June if Europe was unable to replace at least half of its imports from the Middle East, the organisation said in a report this week.
Government biodiversity credit scheme welcomed as opportunity for restoration
Tue 12 May 2026
Media release | Forest & Bird says today’s Government announcement supporting the development of voluntary biodiversity credit schemes has potential to bring about much needed investment into nature restoration.
Burning wood for power worse for climate than gas equivalent, report finds
21 Apr 2026
Research casts doubt on plans by the UK government to offer subsidies for carbon capture attached to the power source.
Carbon News updates forward curve
Wed 13 May 2026
Carbon News has updated its ten-year NZU forward curve, following a recent rise in spot market prices, with NZUs rallying from about $34 in January to nearly $54 in early May.
Scientists warn El Niño could intensify climate extremes in 2026
Wed 13 May 2026
Climatologists say a particularly powerful weather pattern could amplify wildfire risk, heatwaves and flooding worldwide as global temperatures continue to rise.
Drop in ETS forestry registrations
5 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | ETS forestry registrations have dropped off this year, with the new mandatory emissions return period, new land-use rules, and carbon price volatility all meaning participants aren’t rushing to register forestry in the emissions trading scheme.
GIDI-style help cheaper than LNG: MBIE
Mon 11 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Officials advised ministers last July that the lowest-cost way to free up gas for use during dry winters was to assist industrial gas users to switch to electricity.
Tairāwhiti deserves better than weakened forestry rules
5 May 2026
OPINION: The government's proposed amendments to forestry standards, released yesterday, ignore the hard lessons learned in our region and ignore the voices that have fought hardest to protect it, writes Manu Caddie.
Latest emissions inventory: ‘Something has gone very wrong’
16 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 decreased by just 0.1% compared to 2023, in what an expert says is a “terrible result”, compared to faster progress in previous years.
What Magyar’s defeat of Orbán in Hungary means for climate and energy
21 Apr 2026
Hungary has played a disproportionate role in EU climate and energy policy in recent years, by repeatedly vetoing climate action and by delaying the phaseout of Russian fossil-fuel imports.
Australian operator to run NZ ETS auctions
Mon 11 May 2026
The Government has appointed an Australian company to run its Emissions Trading Scheme auctions, taking over from NZX, which has operated the ETS auctions since they began in 2021.
Environmental groups call for ETS reform
20 Feb 2026
Several environmental organisations are calling on political parties to make climate and biodiversity central to the 2026 election campaign, with reforming the Emissions Trading Scheme seen as a key priority.
Call for cross-party agreement on climate risks as NZ stuck in costly disaster cycle
Fri 8 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | An expert is calling for cross-party ministerial appointments and lasting bipartisan agreement about how to act on significant climate risks the country is facing, in response to the Climate Change Commission’s latest report.
EDS urges MPs to scrap the Fisheries Amendment Bill
5 May 2026
Media release | The Environmental Defence Society today lodged a substantive submission on the Fisheries Amendment Bill.
Commission urges Govt action on climate risks
7 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Climate change currently poses major risks to our water infrastructure with “significant gaps” in readiness to manage risks and increasing hazards, according to the Climate Change Commission.
Trump’s Iran war may stymie climate gains with boost to big oil, experts say
Mon 11 May 2026
Windfall profits could lock in Trump-era political wins for the industry and slow clean-energy transition.
Methanexit: writing on the wall for NZ’s biggest gas user
6 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand’s biggest fossil gas user, Methanex, is expected to stop production by the end of this year, with the company confirming its Motunui methanol operation won’t survive Māui gas field’s closure.
RMA to speed up fossil fuel consents
18 Aug 2025
By Liz Kivi | An energy lobby group has welcomed a last-minute amendment to the RMA that puts fossil fuels on the same footing as renewables, however a sustainable energy expert says the move “beggars belief.”
New funding for low methane farming uptake
29 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The government will co-fund projects under an Early Adoption Accelerator scheme announced today to accelerate the uptake of low emissions farming technologies emerging from the AgriZero public-private partnership.
‘Formidable’ El Niño expected this winter
29 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Meteorologists are anticipating a significant El Niño influence on weather patterns across the country from winter onwards, with predicted lower rainfall for some areas and heavier rain for others likely to impact multiple sectors of the economy as well as the carbon market.
Fonterra ‘spins’ greenwashing research for favourable press
1 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Dairy co-operative Fonterra has managed to ‘spin’ international research intended to highlight greenwashing, instead using it to generate unwarranted positive press, according to researchers behind the recent study into ag industry greenwashing.
Mercury signs major hydro upgrade programme with ANDRITZ
23 Apr 2026
Media release | Mercury has signed a contract with international technology group ANDRITZ as part of a $590 million upgrade of three of the nine hydro stations on the Waikato River.
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.
Media round-up
24 Apr 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: What is the real cost of storm-hit infrastructure? Urgency is needed over climate adaptation funding; and a community conservation group has won a legal victory against multinational mining company OceanaGold.
Climate law change spanner in the works for Waitangi Tribunal Inquiry
19 Dec 2025
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s controversial changes to New Zealand’s legal framework for climate policy have thrown a spanner in the works for a long-running Waitangi Tribunal Inquiry into climate change.
How big oil companies can slow the green transition by suing governments that ban fossil fuels
Wed 13 May 2026
Simply put, this rule lets big oil companies sue sovereign states and demand exorbitant amounts of money if they are prohibited from digging up fossil fuels.
Tehran will never cede control of Strait of Hormuz, senior Iranian politician tells BBC
21 Apr 2026
"Never." That's when a senior Iranian lawmaker says they'll be ready to give up their control of the Strait of Hormuz.
Govt missing tricks to save fuel in crisis
30 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is being urged to shift its response to the fuel crisis away from short-term relief and towards measures that reduce demand, with public health experts warning it is missing an opportunity to boost energy security and lower household costs.
Climate risks could reshape business finances, new guidance warns
15 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New guidance warns climate change is set to fundamentally reshape financial outcomes for businesses, including difficult-to-model climate “tipping points” – irreversible changes such as ice sheet collapse or ocean circulation shifts – which threaten severe and sudden financial impacts.
‘Triple whammy of climate chaos’: Why Antarctica's sea ice collapse is no longer a mystery
Mon 11 May 2026
Scientists have finally identified the ‘triple whammy’ behind Antarctica’s dramatic collapse, shedding new light on the chain reaction that has pushed its sea ice to record lows.
Coal mine challenge reaches Aus High Court
Wed 13 May 2026
What climate change impacts should a planning authority have to take into account when assessing a mining project?
NZ's latest climate target 'weak' – Climate Action Tracker
24 Jun 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand's new international climate target to 2035 is weak, and could even allow for higher emissions than the 2030 target, according to a global scientific project that tracks government climate action.
Deep-sea mining risks biodiversity loss lasting decades, scientists warn
Mon 11 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The first comprehensive review of deep-sea mining research has found mining could cause ecological damage lasting decades and, in some ecosystems, irreversible biodiversity loss, with New Zealand experts warning the industry poses major risks to fragile ocean environments.
Environmental groups sue Trump administration over approval of new ultra deep-water drilling project
23 Apr 2026
Environmental groups sued the Trump administration on Monday over its approval last month of oil company BP’s ultra deep-water drilling project in the Gulf of Mexico.
Opposition slams environment ministry merger
Wed 13 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Opposition MPs accused the Government of downgrading climate and environmental protections as legislation to abolish the Ministry for the Environment and merge it into a new mega-ministry passed its second reading in Parliament.
Kiwis overly optimistic about state of environment
27 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New research suggests many New Zealanders believe the environment is in better shape than it really is, with public perceptions often out of step with scientific evidence.
ESG funds include petrochemical companies, report finds
5 May 2026
Global banks have invested US$133bn into US petrochemical expansion, even as the industry is linked to climate change.
Thousands protest in Germany urging faster shift to renewable energy, amid Iran war
20 Apr 2026
Thousands of people demonstrated across Germany on April 18, urging a faster shift to renewable energy and accusing conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition of putting the brakes on the transition.
Green Party calls for national electrification plan
20 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party is calling for a national plan to electrify homes, transport and industry using renewable energy, to reduce fossil fuel dependence in response to the Middle East crisis.
‘Landmark’ conservation reform bill – boost or bust for nature?
Fri 8 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government has announced an overhaul of the country’s conservation system, which environmental organisation Forest & Bird says will undo the work of many generations of Kiwis to protect public conservation land.
Govt launches solar red tape review to speed up installations
Fri 8 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has launched a review aimed at making residential and small-scale solar installations faster and easier, in a move Rewiring Aotearoa says could help cut costs and accelerate solar uptake across New Zealand.
Planned coal mine borders internationally significant wetland
30 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Victorian Hydrogen, the company behind plans for a huge coal-to-urea project, has applied for a permit to explore for coal next to an internationally significant wetland in a sensitive catchment in Southland.
Climate change driving rising stroke risk, experts warn
7 May 2026
Climate change is increasing the risk of stroke and related deaths, with extreme heat and other environmental factors posing growing threats to brain health, says Professor Anna Ranta of the University of Otago.
Solar and wind with battery storage become more cost competitive, IRENA report shows
Fri 8 May 2026
Solar and wind energy with battery storage are delivering cost-competitive electricity compared with coal and gas, according to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency on Wednesday.
Carbon trading schemes cut more emissions than carbon taxes, according to global study
20 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Carbon trading schemes are more effective than carbon taxes at reducing emissions, cutting fossil fuel use, and accelerating the shift to renewable energy, a global study has found.
Why both trees and technology are important in the race to mitigate carbon emissions
4 May 2026
Different carbon‑removal approaches solve different problems, and pitting these technologies against each other could slow progress.
Pacific climate response in question as NZ finance remains unclear
19 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | With New Zealand's $1.3 billion international climate finance commitment set to end with no clarity on what follows, the Auditor-General says oversight of that funding remains patchy and long-term outcomes are unclear.
More red lights for cars might mean more green lights for sustainable transport
7 May 2026
Media release: Royal Society Open Science | Reducing the amount of green light time for cars at traffic lights could encourage commuters to switch to more sustainable transport.
UN methane alert system expanded to coal and waste sectors after Indian landfill named among world’s top emitters
6 May 2026
The United Nations is expanding its methane monitoring system to cover coal mines and waste facilities, after satellite analysis identified a landfill in India among the world’s three largest methane-emitting sites.
NZ First moves to revive container return scheme
4 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | NZ First is aiming to launch a national container return scheme, which could recycle over a billion wasted containers each year, reviving a policy shelved by the previous Labour-led Government in 2023.
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.”
Why is Northern Ireland facing a growing threat from wildfires?
7 May 2026
Figures show that spring drought events are happening more often while there has been a sharp rise in "fire weather" - a mix of warmth, dryness, and wind that allows fires to ignite and spread rapidly. Experts warn this combination, along with climate change, is creating a longer and more volatile wildfire season.
Stripy wind turbines could save some birds
Fri 8 May 2026
Media release: Royal Society Interface | Preventing birds from colliding with wind turbine blades could be as simple as a few paint stripes, according to international researchers, who say this could help protect wildlife as renewable energy expands.
