Topics tagged with 'Energy'
That's it ... till after the election
16 Sep 2011
The Emissions Trading Scheme has been kicked for touch until after the election.
Labour plans for state clean energy push
16 Sep 2011
A Labour Government would use state-owned enterprises to foster New Zealand’s clean energy industry.
ETS review: Act stands for abolition
16 Sep 2011
The Government should "drop the pretence" and scrap the Emissions Trading Scheme, the Act Party says.
ETS review: Farm costs worry Fonterra
16 Sep 2011
Fonterra is committed to emissions reductions and will continue to work within the business and on-farm to see them achieved.
Australian carbon bills go to House
16 Sep 2011
The Gillard Government has introduced a package of bills to the House of Representatives which it says will allow Australia to seize the economic and job opportunities that will come as the world tackles climate change and shifts to a clean energy future.
Fossil fuel investment will damage NZ's reputation
9 Sep 2011
Pure Advantage says that the Government’s Energy Strategy is an attempt for New Zealand to have its cake and eat it too.
Colin Powell's got Karma … so has Leonardo
9 Sep 2011
By Jeff Siegel, editor Energy & Capital. A few years ago, I attended a fundraising meeting for Fisker Automotive, the company that's just delivered the Fisker Karma, the world's first plug-in hybrid electric luxury car.
Carbon capture body opens Japan office
9 Sep 2011
The Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute, working to accelerate the development and uptake of carbon capture and storage technologies round the world, has opened an office in Tokyo.
Rugby World Cup more than a load of rubbish
9 Sep 2011
Visitors are arriving by air from all over the world for the Rugby World Cup that kicks off today - and the fuel consumed during these flights will generate large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions, says Carbon Market Solutions.
Greens push for Pacific climate action
9 Sep 2011
New Zealand and Australia can, and must, lead on real action to respond to climate change to save the endangered Pacific Island nations, the Green Party says.
Genesis surpasses cuts targets
2 Sep 2011
Genesis Energy is ahead of targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions from its power plants
Windflow seeks capital to take IP offshore
2 Sep 2011
Pioneering New Zealand wind turbine company Windflow Technology is seeking capital to sell its intellectual property to other countries, after suspending manufacturing in New Zealand.
Doctor fears climate treaty challenge
2 Sep 2011
A Maori public health specialist says that the Government is failing to address climate change – and that could leave the way open for a Treaty of Waitangi challenge.
Buildings will go green under $35m fund
2 Sep 2011
The Australian Government has announced $35.2 million in funding to green-up 90 buildings across the nation.
Big business backs eucalypt biofuel
2 Sep 2011
A consortium of Australian businesses plans to use eucalypt trees to produce aviation biofuel from a pilot production unit operating by 2012.
Hotel green scheme makes business sense
2 Sep 2011
Hotels will be able to contribute to climate change mitigation while also increasing their profits under a new green scheme.
State deals cut out wind power pioneer
26 Aug 2011
State-owned energy companies’ decisions to buy subsidised turbines from overseas have forced a New Zealand wind turbine pioneer to stop manufacturing.
Carbon farming becomes reality in Australia
26 Aug 2011
The Gillard Government’s Carbon Farming Initiative has passed through the Parliament to establish a regulated carbon offsets market in Australia.
UN wants clean energy revolution
26 Aug 2011
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has called for a clean energy revolution to help to transform the global economy and put the world on a cleaner, safer, more equitable path.
What China does is vitally important
26 Aug 2011
Is the world’s largest polluter doing enough to combat climate change, asks Carbon Market Solutions.
Cautious market mulls over CERs moves
19 Aug 2011
The market has reacted cautiously to hints from the Government that it might restrict the use of CERs in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme after 2012.
Greens slam stand on Auckland transport
19 Aug 2011
Public transport under-funding will be an election issue in Auckland, the Green Party is predicting.
ETS cutting emissions, says minister
19 Aug 2011
New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation are the lowest in a decade - and Climate Issues Minister Nick Smith says that the Emissions Trading Scheme can take part of the credit.
LanzaTech eyes world-wide clients
19 Aug 2011
LanzaTech has signed a deal with an American company to take the New Zealand company's clean energy technology to the world’s steel mills.
Wind farm adds to environment awards
19 Aug 2011
Meridian Energy has won another award for its Te Uku wind farm project.
Environment reporting: What do you think?
19 Aug 2011
The Government is calling for feedback on plans to strengthen rules around environmental reporting.
Buildings in the frontline of climate battle
19 Aug 2011
Richard Lorch, editor of Building Research and Information, examines Tokyo's cap-and-trade scheme to reduce emissions from buildings:
Wind powers Ford’s UK diesel plant
19 Aug 2011
Ford's Dagenham diesel engine assembly line in the UK will be fully powered by wind by the end of August next year, thanks to the construction of a third electricity-generating turbine.
Callaghan: We need schemes, not dreams
12 Aug 2011
New Zealand does not have a clean-tech natural advantage, says one of our leading scientists.
E-cars equal petrol at 26c a litre, says EECA
12 Aug 2011
Driving the first mass-produced electric car on sale in New Zealand is like buying petrol at 26 cents a litre, says the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority.
UN exhorts academia to find solutions
12 Aug 2011
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has called on the world’s best brains to come up with ideas to promote sustainable development and to find solutions to global hunger and malnutrition.
Ministers eye 2015 for Tasman market
5 Aug 2011
New Zealand and Australia are working toward a trans-Tasman carbon market from 2015.
Japan cuts ties with the past
5 Aug 2011
In business offices around Japan, executives are not wearing ties in a bid to cut energy use.
Make your second car electric
5 Aug 2011
Electric vehicles could be a great solution for New Zealand households looking for an economical second car for around-town driving.
Coal has major role in power generation
5 Aug 2011
Nearly half of new electricity generation built over the next five years will be non-CO2emitting, says an Alstom executive.
Tool measures emissions from buildings
5 Aug 2011
A tool developed by the United Nations for measuring energy use and carbon dioxide emissions in homes and offices could lead to the creation of a uniform system for defining the climate impact of buildings.
Israel puts energy solutions on show
5 Aug 2011
The CleanTech 2011 mega-event under way in Tel Aviv this week displays Israel's advanced water, solar, wind and natural gas energy solutions.
Is cleantech dead in the water?
5 Aug 2011
By Nick Hodge.- Every gambler knows the secret to surviving is knowing what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
Petrol should be cheaper, says minister
5 Aug 2011
Consumers should benefit when engine fuel specifications are updated later this year, says the Acting Minister of Energy and Resources, Hekia Parata.
Heating scheme reaches more homes
5 Aug 2011
An extra 1250 households each year will be able to access Government funding to replace their old solid fuel heaters, the Government says.
Air quality record improves
5 Aug 2011
New Zealand’s average number of air quality exceedances dropped to 3.5 in 2010 – the best level since nationwide records began in 2000, Environment Minister Nick Smith says.
Sticker carries energy efficiency clues
5 Aug 2011
A new sticker to help buyers judge the energy-efficiency and running costs of electric cars will be launched in Wellington today.
Biofuel plan stagnates while Government dithers
29 Jul 2011
Work on a multi-million dollar plant to turn tallow into biodiesel is on hold while investors wait to see whether the Government will continue its biofuel subsidy.
One-for-two deal must stay, says coalition
29 Jul 2011
The Greenhouse Policy Coalition is warning that New Zealanders will face higher prices for fuel and electricity if the Government removes the one-for-two obligation in the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Perfect storm behind the CER meltdown
29 Jul 2011
Six weeks ago, the price of a CER was 13 euros and the emissions markets were looking healthy; a couple of weeks’ later, they were fetching 9 euros. Why the rapid meltdown, asks Richard Hayes of Environmental Intermediaries & Trading Group Limited.
Australian carbon bills on the move
29 Jul 2011
Australians have until August 22 to comment on legislation to bring in a price on carbon.
Aussie clothier jumps in – boots and all
29 Jul 2011
A well-known clothing company has bought a $13 million Central Australia cattle station to go carbon farming.
Clear ETS signals bring in the money
22 Jul 2011
New-found confidence that the Emissions Trading Scheme is here to say is leading to an upsurge in carbon investment.
What's in the Australian carbon tax for New Zealand?
22 Jul 2011
Carbon Market Solutions director Wayne King takes a close look at the latest carbon reduction scheme proposed for Australia:
Are we keeping up, asks energy expert
15 Jul 2011
The argument by some New Zealand businesses and farmers that NZ should not be a leader in climate change mitigation is beginning to wear thin, says an expert on renewable energy.
FMA urges sharper focus on climate risk disclosures
Tue 26 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand companies are making steady progress in climate-related financial disclosures, but the Financial Markets Authority says many organisations still need to provide clearer and more robust reporting on physical climate risks and their potential business impacts.
Climate Leaders Coalition on PM meetings: 'it wasn’t us'
Mon 25 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The 81-member Climate Leaders Coalition is distancing itself from the actions of members who lobbied the Prime Minister’s Office to intervene and stop a landmark climate change court case.
$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.
Govt ramps up war on wilding pines with $79m boost
Mon 25 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government is ramping up efforts to contain the spread of wilding pines with a $79 million funding boost aimed at protecting farmland, biodiversity hotspots, tourism landscapes and water catchments across New Zealand.
Thumbs up for Govt help for businesses transitioning from gas
Tue 26 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Businesses and climate advocates alike have welcomed the Government’s pre-budget announcement that it will help secure cheap lending for businesses transitioning from gas, as New Zealand’s domestic supply dwindles.
Govt unveils long-awaited voluntary carbon market guidance
15 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Government has released long-awaited guidance for New Zealand’s voluntary carbon and nature markets, as questions continue for the sector despite ministers signalling support for its growth.
Trump officials, billionaires and the quiet reshaping of America’s public lands
Tue 26 May 2026
A controversial land swap orchestrated by the megarich could be “a harbinger of what’s to come” for public lands under Trump.
Carbon News updates forward curve
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.
New coal plants hit ‘10-year’ global high in 2025 – but power output still fell
Fri 22 May 2026
The number of new coal-fired power plants built around the world hit a “10-year high” in 2025, even as the global coal fleet generated less electricity, amid a “widening disconnect” in the sector.
Mike Smith’s asymmetric victory
Mon 25 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | COMMENT: The New Zealand Government’s recent move, undercutting citizens’ rights and the rule of law to cancel the country’s most important climate case is a massive win for Mike Smith, the climate change activist who brought it.
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.
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.
Conservation land open for voluntary carbon market schemes
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.
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.
How do hurricanes and typhoons form and is climate change making them stronger?
Mon 25 May 2026
Rising temperatures mean that hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones have the potential to bring stronger winds and heavier rain – and scientists warn it only takes one strong storm to bring major impacts.
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.
Biomass sector asks: where did the love go?
18 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand has sufficient biomass in its plantation forests to replace natural gas for industrial process heat at lower costs than electrification, but is failing to get the attention it deserves, sector leaders say.
Govt’s LNG plan puts trade deals at risk, lawyers warn
Tue 26 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Lawyers for Climate Action are warning that the government’s plans for an LNG import terminal and to subsidise gas fields are in breach of New Zealand’s free trade agreements with the UK and the EU.
Hipkins pans LNG plan as ‘massive step backwards’
19 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Labour leader Chris Hipkins has told a Queenstown audience that a Government he leads would not proceed with a planned LNG import terminal, if elected at November’s election.
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.
NZ Govt’s move to halt climate litigation under international scrutiny
19 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | Local and international NGOs have signed an open letter calling on the Government to reconsider its decision to shield major emitters from legal liability for climate-related harm.
Why ‘greenhushing’ signals deeper issues with NZ’s climate risk reporting regime
15 May 2026
By Hang Pham, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington | Most of us are familiar with the concept of greenwashing: organisations exaggerating or overstating their environmental credentials. But in New Zealand, there are signs the country’s climate disclosure regime may inadvertently be driving a very different trend: not saying much at all.
‘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.
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.
Climate resolution conundrum for NZ
Tue 26 May 2026
By Vernon Rive | COMMENT: While the United Nations resolution endorsing a landmark climate ruling is significant – politically, diplomatically and legally – its impact on international climate negotiations and domestic action is likely to be indirect and incremental.
GIDI-style help cheaper than LNG: MBIE
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.
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.
Move to block lawsuits could strengthen climate case against Govt
14 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s plan to block climate lawsuits – while potentially fatal for one groundbreaking climate case – could actually bolster claims in another live climate case underway against the Government.
Colombia’s climate crossroads: Trumpism casts shadow over presidential battle
Tue 26 May 2026
Colombia is a global leader in climate activism. Could US influence drag country to a future of mining and fracking?
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.
Six NZ climate solutions up for 2026 Earthshot prize
Thu 21 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Six New Zealand climate and sustainability initiatives have been nominated for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, with the shortlist showcasing Kiwi-led solutions tackling emissions, plastic waste and ocean restoration.
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.
Govt had ‘little choice’ in signing key UN climate resolution – expert
Fri 22 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Climate policy expert Bronwyn Hayward said it was “shameful’ New Zealand didn’t throw more active support behind a pivotal climate resolution ratified by the United Nations this week.
A real ‘intergenerational equity’ budget would address Australia’s unceasing environmental decline
15 May 2026
Labor has unveiled a budget designed to tackle intergenerational equity in Australia through bold tax reform.
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.
Greens bill to ban mining on conservation land drawn from ballot
Tue 26 May 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A Greens member’s bill seeking to ban new mining, prospecting and exploration on conservation land has been drawn from Parliament’s ballot, with the party saying the proposed law would close a loophole allowing mining on land set aside for environmental protection.
Media round-up
Fri 22 May 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: Shane Jone is urging mining bosses to apply for fast-track before the election, climate risk is changing where investors put their money, and Hiringa gets more hydrogen-fuelled trucks on the road.
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.
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.
‘Landmark’ conservation reform bill – boost or bust for nature?
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.
Climate scientists accuse livestock industry of fuzzy math to downplay climate warming emissions
Fri 22 May 2026
A group of the world’s leading climate scientists are warning governments and the livestock industry against adopting an “accounting trick” that will imperil the all-out global effort required to control heat-trapping emissions.
Marae solar project boosts sustainability and mana motuhake
Mon 25 May 2026
By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporter | Five marae from Whanganui to Taumarunui are running on solar power and many more could join a major green energy initiative aimed at cutting electricity costs and strengthening community resilience.
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.
Rotorua extends diesel bus contract after NZTA declines extra funding
Mon 25 May 2026
By Mathew Nash, Local Democracy Reporter | Rotorua is stuck with its diesel-powered public buses after a funding snag played a part in setting back plans for zero-emission buses by years.
NZ votes in favour of key UN climate resolution
Thu 21 May 2026
By Liz Kivi | A pivotal United Nations resolution to recognise a landmark International Court of Justice climate ruling has passed with nations voting overwhelmingly in its favour, with New Zealand voting on the same side as Pacific allies who spearheaded the vote.
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.
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.
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.
Global wind and solar power outpace gas for first time in April, report shows
Fri 22 May 2026
Wind and solar combined generated more electricity than gas globally in April for the first month ever, data analysed by UK-based think tank Ember showed on Thursday.
