Topics tagged with 'Energy'
Flannery to head Climate Commission
18 Feb 2011
Respected science communicator Professor Tim Flannery has been named head of an independent Climate Commission in Australia.
US investors ask enviro questions
18 Feb 2011
American investors are asking coal, energy and oil companies about their exposure to risks from climate change – and want executive pay linked to environmental performance.
Aussie scheme could be lucrative for NZ carbon sellers
18 Feb 2011
As more of the Garnaut papers are released, Australia moves closer to a revised carbon scheme, Carbon Market Solutions says.
Clean-tech costs falling fast, says Garnaut
11 Feb 2011
The cost of clean technology is falling faster than expected, as the United States and China swing their manufacturing might behind the sector, says the Australian Government’s climate change adviser.
Engineers warn of infrastructure chaos
11 Feb 2011
Engineers are warning the British Government that the country’s infrastructure will not cope with the effects of climate change.
Combet: Australia must act to cut emissions
11 Feb 2011
Australia’s carbon emissions will rise steeply without decisive and effective new policy action, according to annual projections released this week by Climate Change Minister Greg Combet.
Public and private sectors must work together, says Charles
11 Feb 2011
The growing risks posed to long-term economic growth by climate change and over-exploitation of the planet’s natural resources have been highlighted by Prince Charles in a speech to European parliamentarians.
Wind farm adds power to the economy
11 Feb 2011
The new Te Uku wind farm showcases the benefits of wind energy to the New Zealand economy, according to Fraser Clark, chief executive of the Wind Energy Association.
Smith calls for carbon reduction submissions
4 Feb 2011
The Government is calling for submissions on New Zealand’s 2050 emissions reduction target.
Lanzatech takes on international exec
4 Feb 2011
A New Zealand company turning algae into oil has appointed an international government relations manager.
Airport eyes switch from diesel boilers
4 Feb 2011
The diesel boilers might be turned off at Christchurch airport in favour of an environmentally friendly alternative.
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.
These days, it's all about shale oil
4 Feb 2011
By Keith Kohl.- "The era of plentiful, low-cost petroleum is reaching an end" - it's been nearly six years since those words began the now-famous Hirsch Report.
Australia ratifies renewable energy law
28 Jan 2011
Australia has ratified the statute of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson announced this week.
Australia eyes 50% tax cut on new fuels
28 Jan 2011
Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten has released draft legislation for public consultation on the Australian Government's reform of the taxation of alternative fuels.
Dramatic emissions cuts possible, says UN
28 Jan 2011
Dramatic cuts in industrial emissions of greenhouse gas emissions are achievable in developed and developing countries at an acceptable cost, the United Nations says.
Energy market contemplates the end of oil
28 Jan 2011
By Nick Hodge. The energy market as you know it is on the verge of a vast transformation.
Some growers qualify for free carbon credits
21 Jan 2011
Horticulturalists have joined the list of those eligible for free carbon credits under the Emissions Trading Scheme.
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.
FORUM: Signs of change
21 Jan 2011
Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Susan Krumdieck, of Canterbury University, reflects on a sustainability conference which was, in itself, sustainable.
Blame Brownlee for blackouts, says Labour
21 Jan 2011
If New Zealanders are asked over the next few years to reduce power use or face blackouts, the responsibility will fall squarely on Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee, says Labour's Associate Energy spokesperson Chris Hipkins.
Review rules out some ETS challenges
23 Dec 2010
Questions about whether the Emissions Trading Scheme is the best way for New Zealand to tackle climate change have been ruled out of a review of the scheme.
Public might not appear before panel
23 Dec 2010
The public might not get a chance to make oral submissions on the review of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
California gives nod to timber carbon case
23 Dec 2010
The carbon-storing properties of wood products have been recognised in the new cap-and-trade scheme endorsed by Californian law-makers last week.
RMA reforms deliver first major consent ahead of time, says Smith
23 Dec 2010
Environment Minister Nick Smith is welcoming the decision to grant consents for Contact Energy’s $1 billion Tauhara II 250 MW geothermal power station in Taupo – the first project processed under the national consenting process of the reformed Resource Management Act.
Clean-tech strategists will go it alone
17 Dec 2010
Business leaders pushing for a clean-tech development strategy for New Zealand say they’re ready to launch it next year – with or without the Government.
CANCUN: A clearer picture is emerging
17 Dec 2010
A clearer overall framework for global greenhouse gas emissions reductions is emerging - even if more work is needed to develop market mechanisms, writes Business New Zealand energy, enviornment and infrastructure manager John Carnegie from Cancun.
CANCUN: What the scientists are saying
17 Dec 2010
Leading climate scientists from New Zealand, Australia and Britain say progress was made in Cancun - but not enough to prevent dangerous climate warming.
CANCUN: Give money to research, says FedFarm
17 Dec 2010
The Cancun climate change summit proved that a solution to global carbon emissions is still as elusive as ever, says Federated Farmers.
California set to sign up for cap-and-trade
17 Dec 2010
California today is expected to adopt the United States’ most comprehensive carbon trading regime, creating a market-based way to lower greenhouse gas emissions at a time when similar efforts have stalled in Congress.
Britons pay more under sweeping power reforms
17 Dec 2010
Long-term prices for low-carbon electricity generators will be guaranteed by the government as part of its package of sweeping reforms of Britain’s energy markets unveiled today.
Landcare gives Scottish parliament the nod
17 Dec 2010
New Zealand’s Landcare Research has certified the Scottish Parliament’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Underground gas storage gets go-ahead
17 Dec 2010
An Origin/Contact Energy consortium has been granted permission to proceed to fully commissioning the Ahuroa underground gas storage facility near Stratford in Taranaki
Black Robin earns a feather in its cap
17 Dec 2010
A small Auckland-based strategy and design agency with a strong environmental commitment is the first business in its sector to achieve CarboNZero small-enterprise certification.
NZ wave-power machine wins award
17 Dec 2010
A New Zealand-developed and designed wave-power device has been awarded Statement of Design Feasibility certification by an international certification agency, Det Norske Veritas.
CANCUN: We're committed, says Smith
10 Dec 2010
Climate Change Issues Minister Nick Smith has told delegates at climate change negotiations in Mexico that New Zealand is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Forests come to the rescue of clams exporter
10 Dec 2010
A company that has lost export orders to Europe because of air miles and other environmental concerns is planting forests to offset its carbon footprint.
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.
Let’s hear the truth about electric vehicles
10 Dec 2010
By Jeff Segal. - I want to clear up a few misconceptions about electric vehicles so that those of you who are looking to make a few bucks in this sector are not being swayed by tall tales and deliberate falsehoods.
World Bank will help to finance carbon markets
10 Dec 2010
The World Bank will help developing countries to set up pollution credit markets to help to pay for clean development programmes.
Ship operators eye return to the days of sail
10 Dec 2010
Companies are looking to the sailing ships of the past for greener alternatives to today’s gas-guzzling vessels that transport the world's cargo.
China will lead way in clean energy, says Stern
10 Dec 2010
China will have a cap-and-trade system to limit its emissions by about 2015, London School of Economics professor Nicholas Stern believes.
US hopes technology will do the job
10 Dec 2010
The United States is betting on technological innovation to be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said in Cancun.
Multinationals pick up Gigaton awards
10 Dec 2010
Six international companies, including Nike and Vodafone, have been recognised for their work in implementing market-driven solutions to climate change.
Lanzatech hits the hot 50
10 Dec 2010
Energy technology company LanzaTech (http://www.lanzatech.co.nz/) has climbed higher in the world ranking of the “50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy”.
We must change our thinking, says think tank
3 Dec 2010
New Zealand needs to change its thinking if it wants to get a competitive advantage from shifting to a low-carbon economy, says New Zealand Institute director Dr Rick Boven.
Memo businesses: Get the message or you're history
3 Dec 2010
Companies that fail to “get” sustainability risk becoming as dead as buggy-whip makers.
Aquaflow links with US firm in energy move
3 Dec 2010
New Zealand’s Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation is joining forces with a Californian company to develop next-generation technology to produce low-cost renewable energy and chemicals.
Governments must vote in favour of moratorium on deep sea mining
Tue 29 Jul 2025
Media release - Greenpeace | The 30th session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) has ended with Greenpeace saying governments are continuing to fall short in protecting the deep sea.
Does NZ need a national incentive scheme for wetlands?
25 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | An expert is calling for a national incentive programme to restore New Zealand’s wetlands and wants to stop schemes to drain these vital carbon-sequestering ecosystems.
NZ Post drops science-based climate target
8 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | NZ Post has dropped its science-based emissions reduction target of 42% by 2030 with no plans to replace it.
Airlines risk legal challenges by advertising jet fuel as “sustainable”, NGO warns
18 Jul 2025
Amid suspected fraud in the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a new report says the airline industry should stop calling all alternatives to kerosene “sustainable”.
Challenges persist in bid to mine the deep sea, even after boost from Trump
Tue 29 Jul 2025
After years of delay, the deep-sea mining plans of Canadian firm The Metals Company (TMC) now appear to be progressing as it pursues a controversial new path to securing a license to mine in international waters under U.S. jurisdiction.
Sustainability claims questioned as renewable diesel surges
14 May 2025
Critics are sceptical about industry claims of renewable diesel life-cycle greenhouse gas emission cuts and warn renewable diesel carbon releases will surge if sourcing is scaled up, triggering tropical deforestation as producers convert forests to energy crops, such as oil palm and soy.
Carbon prices slide as market awaits ETS decision
Fri 1 Aug 2025
By Liz Kivi | Volatility has returned to the secondary carbon market, with prices sliding again after plateauing in recent weeks, as the market waits for government decisions on Emissions Trading Scheme settings.
The US is sitting out the most consequential climate summit in a decade. It may offer a victory to China
Fri 1 Aug 2025
The Trump administration fired the last of the US climate negotiators earlier this month, helping cement America’s withdrawal from international climate diplomacy. It may also have handed a huge victory to China.
Bearish sentiment lingers for carbon market
11 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | The compliance carbon market could be set for a gradual upward trajectory, however unsold volume from the quarterly Emissions Trading Scheme auctions continues to act as ‘a price ceiling,’ according to an expert.
Coal use drove recent emissions increase
Fri 1 Aug 2025
Increased use of coal for electricity generation was a large driver for an increase in New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions in the last quarter.
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?
What does 'drier' really mean in 'green' homes?
Fri 1 Aug 2025
Media release - Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland | Researchers say green-rating systems could improve clarity and effectiveness by explicitly defining ‘drier’ and using two measures of humidity.
Cuts to climate finance put exports in jeopardy: Lawyers
23 May 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government has halved international climate finance, a move aid organisations describe as “devastating,” and which lawyers say could put our Paris Agreement commitments and export market access at risk.
NZ voluntary carbon market’s sad state
14 Jul 2025
By John O’Brien | OPINION: A combination of scandals, challenging economic times, and cheaper offshore carbon credits, mean that the domestic voluntary carbon market in New Zealand remains absolutely tiny.
Key orange roughy population on verge of collapse, govt considers closure
9 Jul 2025
Media release - Deep Sea Conservation Coalition | New data reveals that New Zealand’s main orange roughy fishery, accounting for half of the country’s total catch, is on the brink of collapse, with one model showing it may have reached that point already, and the government’s considering closing it.
Warmer than usual weather ahead, wetter in north and east, as La Niña signals strengthen
Fri 1 Aug 2025
Media release – Earth Sciences New Zealand | Seasonal Outlook Climate August to October 2025 suggests warm, damp weather, with La Niña’s possible return.
Latest trawl bycatch numbers 'a grim wake-up call'
24 Jun 2025
Media release – Greenpeace | The latest fisheries bycatch data paints a grim picture, with trawlers hauling up thousands of kilograms of coral and killing hundreds of fur seals and seabirds over a 12 month period.
Wilding pines threaten Molesworth Station
28 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Without increased support, the unchecked spread of wilding pines will continue to creep across Marlborough’s high country – putting iconic landscapes and one of New Zealand’s top five biodiversity hotspots at serious risk, according to an expert.
Bill to restart oil and gas exploration clears final hurdle
Fri 1 Aug 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The government’s Crown Minerals Amendment Bill is set to become law after passing its third reading in parliament last night, with critics calling it humiliating for the climate minister and an embarrassment to New Zealand's international reputation.
A modest geothermal strategy
Thu 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.
European Central Bank to consider 'climate factor' when lending to banks
Thu 31 Jul 2025
The European Central Bank will add climate change considerations to its lending operations from late 2026, raising pressure on banks to channel financing towards greener sectors as the euro zone seeks to reduce its carbon footprint.
NZ part of hidden global deep-sea network beneath the waves
25 Jul 2025
Media release - Earth Sciences New Zealand | A world-first study of marine life, including sea creatures found in New Zealand's dark, cold, pressurised ocean depths, has revealed that deep-sea life is surprisingly more connected than previously thought.
‘Ideological sludge’: How NZ is quiet quitting climate action
17 Jul 2025
New Zealand once stood out as a world leader on climate change. In June it became the first country in the world to abandon a commitment to phase out oil, gas and coal.
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.
Hiringa eyes green methanol plant near Whanganui
Tue 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.
Climate catastrophes are creating a ‘new market reality’ for insurance carriers
23 Jul 2025
Raging wildfires and severe storms contributed to record-high global insurance losses — totalling an estimated US$84 billion — for the first six months of the year.
Will NZ walk away from the Paris Agreement?
20 Dec 2024
By Geoff Bertram | COMMENT: Unless the government can find very cheap offshore mitigation, the temptation to walk away from its Paris Agreement obligations may well be too strong to resist for a coalition government focused on fiscal austerity.
Multi-day protest continues at coal mine
Wed 30 Jul 2025
Bathurst Resources has been forced to truck coal from its Stockton mine as climate activists occupy coal buckets at the mine for a third day.
Fund for low emissions transport winds up
Thu 31 Jul 2025
New Zealand’s Low Emission Transport Fund has officially wrapped up, ending a nine-year programme that put hundreds of millions of dollars towards accelerating the country’s shift to cleaner transport.
Last minute change to oil and gas legislation over cleanup costs
Thu 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.
Urgent action needed to get on track for climate goals - commission
25 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand is making progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but more work is needed – urgently – to set up for future reductions, according to the latest report from the Climate Change Commission.
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.
Toxic algae are turning South Australia’s coral reefs into underwater graveyards
Tue 29 Jul 2025
Since March, a harmful algal bloom, fueled by a marine heat wave, has been choking South Australia’s coastline.
NZ govt’s fossil fuel plans could break international law
24 Jul 2025
By Liz Kivi | The government could be breaching international law with its plans to subsidise and expand fossil fuel extraction, following a ruling overnight from the world’s highest court.
Tipping points: Window to avoid irreversible climate impacts is ‘rapidly closing’
11 Jul 2025
In the midst of a record-breaking heatwave in Europe, the UK city of Exeter recently played host to the second international conference on “tipping points”.
‘Total infiltration’: How plastics industry swamped vital global treaty talks
28 Jul 2025
Petrostates and well-funded lobbyists at UN-hosted talks are derailing a deal to cut plastic production and protect people and the planet.
Activists sue US development bank over $4.6bn loan to massive Mozambique gas project
18 Jul 2025
Environmental groups claim loan is ‘unlawful’ in legal filing.
Straterra has a new name: the New Zealand Minerals Council
16 Apr 2025
Media release | Straterra has been renamed as New Zealand Minerals Council, says chief executive Josie Vidal.
Tilting at windmills? Trump’s claims about turbines fact-checked
Thu 31 Jul 2025
The US president has taken a swipe at wind power as the blades visible from his Turnberry golf course turn.
Ocean heatwaves may signal climate tipping point
25 Jul 2025
A recent study that tapped into satellite data has revealed that 2023 marked an unprecedented year for marine heatwaves, with record-breaking levels of duration, reach and intensity across the world's oceans.
Climate groups want UK wealth tax to make super-rich fund sustainable economy
17 Jul 2025
Growing number of campaigners urge government to ensure green investment is not done ‘on backs of the poor’.
Can robot taxis solve NZ's transport woes?
23 Jul 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Ministry of Transport has tested the idea of driverless taxis as a futuristic fix. But while new modelling explores how "robotaxis" could ease congestion and reduce car ownership, critics say it misses a crucial point – the country’s worsening transport emissions.
United Nations carbon market rules agreed but concerns remain
25 Nov 2024
New carbon market rules agreed at the fractious UN climate summit will be a relief to New Zealand and Singapore, who were leading the negotiations, but concerns about greenwashing and disadvantaging nature-based solutions remain.
EV sales fall, but it’s complicated
Tue 29 Jul 2025
Imports of fully electric vehicles fell over 50% in value during the 12 months to June 2025, compared with the year ended June 2024, according to Stats NZ.
The ICJ’s ruling means Australia and other major polluters face a new era of climate reparations
25 Jul 2025
By Harj Narulla | OPINION: Australia has found itself on the wrong side of history.
Waste Levy risks becoming ‘slush fund’ under proposed changes – Commissioner
5 Jun 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Proposed changes to New Zealand's waste legislation risk undermining public trust in the waste levy scheme, according to Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton.
The struggle for control of the Arctic is accelerating - and it's riskier than ever
11 Jul 2025
As the battle for one of the world’s coldest places heats up, an increasingly fragile security balance may be breaking down, leading to an escalating arms race.
UN University report warns against carbon credits from REDD, tree planting, and improved forest management
13 Jun 2025
But the report stops short of recommending banning the trade in carbon temporarily stored in trees.
For the first time, China invests more in wind and solar than coal overseas
29 May 2025
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, long derided for its heavy carbon footprint, was dominated by wind and solar power projects for the first time from 2022 to 2023, according to a new analysis. But coal plants financed in earlier years are still coming online.
