Topics tagged with 'Energy'
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.
Cancun: The electricity isn't there
3 Dec 2010
John Carnegie, BusinessNZ’s manager for energy, environment and infrastructure, is a member of the New Zealand Government's official delegation to the international climate change negotiations in Cancun, Mexico. He reports on progress in the opening days of the Cancun conference:
Climate minister defends 5 per cent target
3 Dec 2010
The Australian Government has defended its target of a 5 per cent cut to greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, saying the country’s history of cheap, carbon-heavy coal electricity makes reducing emissions a tougher task than in other countries.
Solar scientists given $5m research boost
3 Dec 2010
The Australian Solar Institute has awarded $5.65 to the CSIRO to go toward three major solar research projects worth a total of $16 million.
Wind group: Court gives nod to wind farms
3 Dec 2010
The Environment Court’s approval of Contact Energy’s proposed Waitahora wind farm recognises that well-designed wind farms are entirely appropriate in windy, elevated farmland, says the Wind Energy Association.
Nova Energy buys EGas customers
3 Dec 2010
Nova Energy has purchased the customer database fromliquidated energy company EGas.
Downer tip: How to cut your fuel bill by $3m
26 Nov 2010
A company that cut its fuel bill by $3 million in two years and is drastically reducing the amount of energy used in its industrial processes has taken out the supreme award in the EECA energy efficiency awards announced last night.
EECA 1 - bioenergy all the rage
26 Nov 2010
The 2010 EECA Awards have been dominated by bioenergy in various forms – showing an increasing interest from Kiwi businesses in new forms of renewable energy.
EECA 2 - top honours to Te Kuiti
26 Nov 2010
A small earth-moving and transport company from Te Kuiti was praised for "putting larger peers to shame’"when it took top honours in the transport category in the 2010 EECA Awards last night.
EECA 3 - pig-power in Taranaki
26 Nov 2010
Taranaki pig farmer Steve Lepper has found an original source of electricity – his own pigs.
EECA 4 - two crowns for Christchurch
26 Nov 2010
Its innovative use of bioenergy and its highly efficient civic building have won Christchurch City Council two trophies in the 2010 EECA Awards.
Pledges not enough to avoid global damage
26 Nov 2010
Promises made last year by 80 countries to reduce climate change emissions fall well short of what is needed to avoid the worst consequences of global warming, UN scientists say.
EU plans to clamp down on fridge gas scam
26 Nov 2010
The European Commission is about to clamp down on a trading scam linked to the controversial greenhouse gas HFC-23, which is used in refrigerators.
China’s Cancun promise: We’ll do our bit
26 Nov 2010
On the eve of the Cancun climate change summit, China has assured its critics that it will do its part in trying to control global warming.
Europe going too slowly, says climate report
26 Nov 2010
Europe’s leadership in climate change is being eroded by slow action and a lack of implementation of policy, says a WWF International report.
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.
