Topics tagged with 'Energy'

‘Bombshell’: Devastation as Ruapehu mills announce permanent closure
21 Aug 2024
By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporter | Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton says he is deeply concerned for local communities devastated by news that two timber mills in the central North Island will close permanently.

Gas deal done
20 Aug 2024
Methanex took one for the team and a hefty pay check when it closed down operations to sell a large amount of gas for Contact and Genesis.

Electricity Authority looks for answers at ‘tricky stage’ in energy transition
15 Aug 2024
The Electricity Authority says this week it will consider more possible regulatory interventions and release more data on wholesale electricity price volatility.

New report shows offshore wind industry in NZ can flourish through UK collaboration
15 Aug 2024
Media release | A new report published today illustrates the unique opportunity that the UK and New Zealand have to unlock the full potential of New Zealand’s offshore wind industry.

Will climate cash help democrats win US election?
14 Aug 2024
An area near Pittsburgh is being recast into a clean energy hub by IRA cash. It’s a test of whether climate policies can help Democrats beat Trump.

What can govt do about electricity sector's 'perfect storm'?
13 Aug 2024
As shortages of gas and water drive wholesale electricity prices to never seen before levels, the question is what, if any, interventions politicians might make.

Could geothermal power stations go carbon-negative?
12 Aug 2024
Retrofitting a geothermal power station could allow carbon capture from other sources like forestry residue, according to a new study.

Mining permit application backlog sprint
12 Aug 2024
The priority given to 150 outstanding historical permit applications received before 1 July 2023 ended with the resolution of 120 of the 150 outstanding mineral permit applications and 10 of the 12 petroleum applications by the end of June.

Carbon capture – climate plan not clear cut
6 Aug 2024
Capturing carbon is capturing imaginations, but can it live up to the government’s expectations?

Hope or hype? NZ needs to be realistic about the clean energy potential of green hydrogen
5 Aug 2024
By Ian Mason and Robert McLachlan | The recent failure of a deal to deliver hydrogen-powered trucks to New Zealand, and the removal of a NZ$100 million government rebate scheme for green hydrogen users in the 2024 budget, make a transition to the much-lauded energy technology increasingly less certain.

Significant risk Aotearoa will not meet climate targets: Climate Commission
31 Jul 2024
There is a significant risk that New Zealand will not meet future emissions reductions targets, according to a new report from the Climate Change Commission.

Media round-up
26 Jul 2024
In our weekly round-up of climate coverage in local media: major failings in Hawke's Bay Cyclone Gabrielle response; how fast-track delayed a key climate policy; and the problem with the government’s science and innovation policies.

Agricultural emissions down
25 Jul 2024
New Zealand's emissions were down in the March quarter, 8% lower than their peak in March 2019, partly due to a decrease in agricultural emissions.

New electric buses for Canterbury
24 Jul 2024
Media release | Canterbury Regional Council is celebrating its 21 newest electric buses, as it looks towards an all-electric future.

Gas crunch ripples expand
23 Jul 2024
The pressure from a squeezed gas supply and increasing prices is sending ripples through the economy, government, and courts.

Govt drastically weakens vehicle emissions standards
18 Jul 2024
By Robert McLachlan | On 25 June, the Government amended the Clean Vehicles Act, completed in a single day under urgency, so there was no opportunity for public input.

Govt releases emissions reduction plan
17 Jul 2024
Climate change minister Simon Watts has released the second emissions reduction plan for consultation, with proposed changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme including aligning ETS units with emissions budgets and reviewing the free industrial allocation of units.

Energy shortfall defined, the gas scramble is on
16 Jul 2024
Confirmation that current gas demand will outstrip supply over the next three years points to much higher gas prices, which will flow through to electricity prices, and a scramble for gas from business users who have no alternative fuels.

ACT submits bill to stop regional councils considering climate impacts
15 Jul 2024
ACT MP Mark Cameron has lodged a new member’s bill to stop regional councils from considering climate change impacts in consenting decisions.

Solar and battery use continues to rise
15 Jul 2024
Solar generation and battery storage are rising rapidly according to analysts.

Reversing oil and gas exploration ban will increase emissions by 50Mt
12 Jul 2024
The coalition government’s plan to lift a ban on oil and gas exploration will lead to an extra 51.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions up to 2050, according to the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment.

Govt consulting on carbon capture framework
10 Jul 2024
The government is consulting on a proposed framework for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS).

Meridian plans to ramp up new generation
8 Jul 2024
Meridian’s first investor day in three years was mainly an update on how it saw the sector and its business after the Tiwai Point smelter deal was finalised.

How much impact could past choices have on our emissions profile?
8 Jul 2024
By Robert McLachlan | New Zealand's CO2 emissions could have gone down 25% since 1990 - instead of up 25% - if we'd chosen to do things that other countries were already doing.

Contact to develop a grid-scale 100 MW battery in Auckland
3 Jul 2024
Media release | Contact Energy has answered calls for more energy storage by contracting with Tesla to build a 100-megawatt battery.

Community-owned power company on track to carbon zero
26 Jun 2024
The toppling of one of Transpower's pylons last week saw thousands of homes and businesses in the Far North cut off from electricity. But, as Jeremy Rose reports, it wasn't for lack of local generation.

Capital receives first delivery of sustainable aviation fuel
26 Jun 2024
Air New Zealand has shipped 500,000 litres of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) into Wellington, in what the airline says is “another small step” towards its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Watts agrees more work needed to restore confidence in ETS
24 Jun 2024
Climate change minister Simon Watts agrees that more needs to be done to restore confidence and stability to the emissions trading scheme, while also saying the scheme is the government’s key tool to do the “heavy lifting” to reduce emissions.

Transpower poised to sell emsTradepoint
19 Jun 2024
Transpower says it has had several expressions of interest from buyers for its unwanted subsidiary, emsTradepoint, which runs New Zealand’s government-owned carbon trading platform, as well as the only wholesale gas trading platform in the country.

NZGIF’s investment in rural energy boosting uptake of solar on dairy farms
17 Jun 2024
Media release | New Zealand Green Investment Finance’s (NZGIF) investment in Rural Energy is already helping accelerate the uptake of solar electricity generation on farms.

Wealthy Kiwis driving up transport emissions
13 Jun 2024
Cashed-up Kiwis are pumping out more than their fair share of transport emissions, driving more frequently and over longer distances, according to new research.

Govt restoring legal requirement to promote mining
13 Jun 2024
The government’s proposed reform of the Crown Minerals Act goes further than just repealing the 2018 ban on new petroleum exploration outside onshore Taranaki.

Govt to reverse oil and gas exploration ban
10 Jun 2024
Removing a ban on petroleum exploration beyond onshore Taranaki is part of a suite of proposed changes to deal with the energy security challenges caused by declining fossil gas reserves, according to resources minister Shane Jones.

Climate activists force conference to move online
10 Jun 2024
A planned blockade by climate activists has forced organisers to cancel in-person elements of the Energy Resources Taranaki Forum, scheduled to take place on June 12.

ComCom’s draft decision on lines and transmission networks
10 Jun 2024
The Commerce Commission’s draft decision approved large increases in regulated revenue for Transpower and lines companies due to cost increases and other pressures.

Tiwai deal could lead to multi-billion dollar govt carbon pollution subsidy
5 Jun 2024
Rio Tinto could get close to a million free carbon credits each year under its new electricity supply deal for Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter - a government subsidy that could amount to a possible $2 billion during the 20 year life of the deal, according to campaigners.

Budget prioritises adaptation over emissions reductions
31 May 2024
The government is prioritising stop banks and floodwalls over initiatives to reduce emissions, with the $1.2bn Regional Infrastructure Fund to focus on climate resilience efforts, while hundreds of millions of dollars of funding for conservation efforts has been cut.

Climate change minister faces up to some difficult questions
30 May 2024
By Liz Kivi | The climate change minister faced some awkward questions at the Carbon and Energy Professionals conference this week, against a backdrop of falling carbon prices.

Management team working to save emsTradepoint as Transpower announces closure
27 May 2024
New Zealand’s government-owned carbon trading platform emsTradepoint is set to close, but the operations team want the platform to continue and say they are working with the state-owned entity on a management buyout.

Scion report on short rotation forestry met with scepticism
27 May 2024
A new report from Scion that says short rotation forestry holds the key to lowering fossil fuel use has been criticised by sustainable land use campaigners as well as an oil industry expert.

New govt mining strategy slammed by environmentalists and opposition
24 May 2024
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched a draft strategy for the minerals sector which allows mining on conservation land and aims to double the sector’s export value to $2 billion.

Climate change litigation before the courts
23 May 2024
Two climate change related legal cases saw some action last week.

ETS alone won’t decarbonise NZ: businesses representing 40% of country’s GDP
22 May 2024
The Sustainable Business Council and Climate Leaders Coalition say that depending on the ETS alone to reach net zero will cause significant harm to the economy.

Battle between offshore wind developers and seabed miners
21 May 2024
A battle is developing between offshore wind developers and seabed miners over access to the South Taranaki Bight.

IEA trims 2024 oil demand growth forecast, widens gap with OPEC
21 May 2024
The International Energy Agency (IEA) trimmed its forecast for 2024 oil demand growth, widening the gap with producer group OPEC in terms of expectations for this year's global demand outlook.

Improving buildings could save NZ almost $40 billion
20 May 2024
Media release | Improving buildings could slash emissions equivalent to taking half our country’s petrol cars off the road.

Media round-up
17 May 2024
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in local media: How denser housing can be greener too; carbon credits might need to be cut as NZ Steel's efficient furnace comes online; and the prime minister tips a 'robust response' to climate change in the upcoming budget.

India projects biggest power shortfall in 14 years in June
17 May 2024
India is projecting its biggest power shortfall in 14 years in June after a slump in hydropower generation, and is racing to avoid outages.

Aotearoa gives $17 million for PNG renewable energy
15 May 2024
A $17 million contribution to a renewable energy project on the Island of Bougainville is part of a $44.9 million package announced by foreign minister Winston Peter in Port Moresby earlier this week.

Govt seizes possible energy shortfall as PR opportunity?
14 May 2024
Last week was a remarkable one for the energy sector. It started with the government seizing on the latest gas data to set up a committee to ensure gas supply was maintained for “critical users”.