Topics tagged with 'LNG'
More in: LNG
Lake Onslow pumped hydro consortium secures funding for consent push
26 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The consortium behind Lake Onslow pumped hydro has secured funding to finalise its resource consent application, aiming to lodge it under the fast-track process before 2027.
Commissioner ‘unconvinced’ LNG is the best dry-year solution
26 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has told the Energy Minister he is “unconvinced” the government’s proposed LNG import terminal is the best ‘dry year’ solution for the country, and criticised the Government’s “extremely limited” options analysis.
Canadian firm seeks Crown co-investment for Genesis-supported gas storage project
19 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | A proposed gas storage project supported by Genesis Energy has sought Crown co-investment through the $200 million Gas Security Fund.
LNG import terminal could cost NZ economy $6.2 billion: Concept Consulting
17 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The benefits of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal to provide insurance against dry year energy prices would be outweighed by the wider costs to the New Zealand economy, a new report says.
Ballance secures gas for 2026 as it progresses energy transition plan
16 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | One of the largest industrial gas users in New Zealand is working on an energy transition plan to futureproof domestic fertiliser manufacturing, while continuing to secure ongoing gas supply contracts.
LNG imports might not be needed for 'dry year' security: redacted report
11 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The need for imported liquefied natural gas to provide security of supply in a dry year is low, according to newly released modelling, with some scenarios featuring higher levels of renewable generation requiring no gas imports at all.
Labour on overturning LNG: ‘we’d need to see the contract’
9 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | An incoming Labour government later this year would need “to look at the contract” before deciding whether it would be bound by the current government’s commitment to a user-pays funded liquefied natural gas terminal.
Importing LNG would raise costs and emissions: it’s a terrible decision for New Zealand
9 Jun 2026
COMMENT: Today’s announcement from the Government is political smoke and mirrors, with electricity users’ wallets still set to bear the brunt of the proposed LNG facility, writes Christina Hood.
Full steam ahead on LNG: but timing slips
9 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The government is pressing ahead with plans to import liquefied natural gas, paid for by the ‘big four’ electricity generators, but its timetable is slipping closer to election day.
Diesel vs LNG – both high cost options for dry year cover
8 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | ANALYSIS: While last week’s Sapere report – looking at the Government’s proposed LNG terminal for electricity ‘dry year’ cover – says diesel would be better in the short-term, opting for diesel would lead to higher more volatile electricity spot prices in the next few years.
LNG isn’t the best 'dry year' solution – new report
4 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s proposed LNG import terminal isn’t the best solution for ‘dry year’ electricity security, according to a new report.
Huntly biomass option no cheap fix, Genesis tells MPs
28 May 2026
Genesis Energy says biomass can be burned in Huntly's Rankine units, but current costs put it in roughly the same price range as imported LNG and extra Rankine capacity would be expensive and could take years.
LNG vital to prevent economic damage as gas leaves NZ economy
27 May 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Importing natural gas will make the difference between an “orderly” or “chaotic and unnecessarily costly" decline as domestically produced gas runs out, the chief executive of the Gas Industry Company, David Prentice, said yesterday.
Govt’s LNG plan puts trade deals at risk, lawyers warn
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.
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.
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.
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.
New alliance wants renewable-led energy – and Govt to press pause on LNG
9 Apr 2026
A newly formed coalition of business, consumer and energy organisations has unveiled a renewable-led strategy it says will strengthen the country’s energy security, and it’s calling on the Government to pause its plan for an LNG import terminal.
Genesis fires up pellet study with Nature’s Flame
8 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Genesis Energy is extending its quest for locally produced torrefied wood pellets to supplement coal and gas to fuel its Huntly power station, announcing it is investigating plant construction with established local solid fuels player Nature’s Flame.
Seymour ‘imploring’ council to go easy on foresters is abuse of authority: EDS
Tue 7 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Environmental Defence Society says that Regulation Minister David Seymour’s attempt to influence Gisborne District Council to ‘go easy’ on forestry companies in enforcing environmental laws is a clear abuse of ministerial authority.
Greens announce water policy, including nitrogen fertiliser phase-out
Tue 7 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Green Party announced its water policy yesterday, promising to phase out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, as well as destructive fishing methods, if the party is elected in November.
$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.
‘They want to destroy Corsia’: Brussels takes aim again at airline emissions
Thu 2 Jul 2026
The European Commission is planning to shoot down the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) largely voluntary decarbonisation scheme, CORSIA, when it presents plans to overhaul the EU’s carbon pricing system, sources suggest.
Fast-track panel backs proposed Haldon Solar Farm
Mon 6 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The proposed Haldon Solar Farm in the Mackenzie Basin has moved to the final stages of the Fast-track Approvals Act process after the Fast-track Panel proposed granting approval for the project.
Inaction on shipping decarbonisation could cost NZ up to $94b by 2050, report says
30 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | Failing to support and enable the decarbonisation of the shipping industry could result in losses of $17.5 billion to $94.4b to the New Zealand economy by 2050, according to a report from the Aotearoa Circle.
Tens of millions swelter as heatwave blasts US
Thu 2 Jul 2026
Tens of millions of Americans sweltered under furnace-like temperatures Tuesday as central and eastern cities hunkered down for a heat wave set to last through the July 4 holiday weekend.
'Hotter and hotter and hotter': Europe's new climate in seven charts
Tue 7 Jul 2026
We might only be a few days into July, but two record-breaking summer heatwaves have already provided the UK and Europe with a snapshot of their new climate.
Carbon markets and biochar: a golden opportunity for NZ?
1 Jul 2026
By John O’Brien | COMMENT: New Zealand’s abundant and increasing forestry waste could become a multi-billion dollar opportunity for biochar carbon sequestration – as long as the right policies, programmes, and incentives are in place.
China's coal power on the rise again in 2026, reversing first-in-a-decade decline
25 Jun 2026
China's coal-fired power generation is set to rebound this year from its first fall in a decade, analysts said, due to the impact of El Nino and the Iran war and as renewable sources of energy have failed to keep pace with demand.
Politicians need to lead on climate: Carr
30 Jun 2026
As the election campaign heats up, former Climate Change Commission chair Rod Carr has a list of actions he's hoping to see from our aspiring leaders, which includes confronting climate denial as well as refusing funds or policy advice from vested interests.
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.
BNZ and Pāmu team up on ‘carbon insetting’ with existing native forests
30 Jun 2026
By Liz Kivi | BNZ and state-owned enterprise Pāmu (Landcorp) have teamed up on what they say could be a model for landowners to earn revenue from existing native forests, while businesses pay for carbon removals. The organisations involved say this is “not offsetting,” with less stringent rules needed than for carbon credits.
Contact: Protected geothermal fields must be opened to meet 2040 goal
Mon 6 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | A goal to double geothermal energy generation by 2040 using existing technologies is unachievable unless some protected fields are reclassified for development, Contact Energy says.
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.
Strong El Nino will develop rapidly over coming months, says UN weather agency
Tue 7 Jul 2026
The United Nations weather agency on Friday raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Nino in the coming months, warning that the phenomenon is likely to drive global temperatures higher.
Tarakihi on verge of extinction: Stock collapse exposes major fisheries management failings
Fri 3 Jul 2026
Media release: Environmental Defence Society | Fisheries NZ is consulting on new sustainability measures for the country’s two tarakihi stocks.
High Court upholds forestry directors' environmental liability
Thu 2 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The High Court has dismissed appeals by a forestry company, its directors, and a landowner, against enforcement orders over environmental damage in a Gisborne forest, reinforcing that company directors can be personally liable for environmental breaches.
EECA seeks answers on NZ's future fuel mix
Fri 3 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority is looking for specialists to assess the role future low-emissions fuels could play in New Zealand’s energy system.
Savings gap doubles: all-electric households stand to save $3000 a year, report finds
29 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The economic incentive for households to electrify has become more compelling, although overcoming upfront installation costs remains a barrier.
Cabinet green-lights $55M super-critical geothermal drilling programme
9 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Cabinet has agreed to release the $55 million unspent of the $60m secured by Resources Minister Shane Jones to drill up to 5 kilometres deep into super-critical geothermal heat under the Taupō volcanic zone.
How will the World Bank’s abandoned finance goal affect climate action?
Tue 7 Jul 2026
The World Bank has abandoned a target for 45% of the funding it gives developing countries to be “climate finance”, following months of pressure from the Trump administration in the US.
Conservation bill risks climate goals, lawyers say
1 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Lawyers for Climate Action NZ says the Government's plan to change the law to encourage economic development on conservation land could undermine New Zealand's climate goals by weakening the land's ability to store carbon, as well as allowing new sources of emissions such as mining.
Govt climate claims don't match reality, lawyers say
17 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Lawyers for Climate Action has accused the Government of presenting an overly positive picture of New Zealand's climate progress at the United Nations climate summit in Bonn, arguing key claims on emissions reductions and support for the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal are not reflected in domestic policy.
Lake Onslow pumped hydro consortium secures funding for consent push
26 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | The consortium behind Lake Onslow pumped hydro has secured funding to finalise its resource consent application, aiming to lodge it under the fast-track process before 2027.
Ballance secures gas for 2026 as it progresses energy transition plan
16 Jun 2026
By Oli Lewis | One of the largest industrial gas users in New Zealand is working on an energy transition plan to futureproof domestic fertiliser manufacturing, while continuing to secure ongoing gas supply contracts.
Confidence in tackling climate risks remains low
Fri 3 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealanders have little faith in the country's ability to tackle climate risks, with a new poll finding fewer than one in three are confident the country can reduce the impacts of climate change, while many are calling for stronger Government leadership on climate hazards.
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.
Labour promises to repeal bill to block climate lawsuits
Fri 3 Jul 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government bill aiming to block climate lawsuits passed its first reading under urgency after a heated debate in Parliament last night, with the Labour Party promising it will repeal the bill if elected in November.
Taranaki offshore wind developer eyes mid-2030s commissioning after law change
Fri 3 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | The first offshore wind farm in New Zealand could be commissioned by the mid-2030s, with its developer saying a new permitting framework has bolstered investor confidence.
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.
UN chief says fossil fuel industry must cut methane for warming “relief”
25 Jun 2026
UN chief António Guterres called for stronger action to cut emissions of planet-heating methane, taking aim at the fossil fuel industry’s practices and profits, and pointing to coal, oil and gas as the root of today’s climate and energy crises.
Swarbrick slams $50m critical minerals funding as 'Trump's war machine' subsidy
Tue 7 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | The Green Party has criticised the Government's investment into two West Coast critical minerals projects, claiming the funding could ultimately support the United States defence industry rather than New Zealand's clean energy transition, while Shane Jones dismissed opponents as "flat earth idiots".
Forestry at heart of ETS problems – commissioner
24 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Forestry is a central driver of growing problems within New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton told the Environment Select Committee during Parliamentary Scrutiny Week.
New report sounds alarm on risks of unregulated radioactivity from deep-sea mining
Fri 3 Jul 2026
Media release | A groundbreaking scientific report released today by the Deep Sea Mining Campaign exposes a critical, unaddressed threat to global ocean health: the mobilisation of naturally occurring radioactive materials by proposed deep sea mining operations.
Carbon capture and the need for ‘net zero oil’
16 Jun 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | The answer to making carbon capture and storage work is to make fossil fuel producers responsible for making it happen rather than consumers, says Oxford University climate change policy expert, Professor Myles Allen.
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.
UN plastics pact talks restart amid fears production curbs will be left out
Thu 2 Jul 2026
Diplomats reconvene a year after negotiations collapsed, but campaigners fear the agenda risks burying tricky discussions on key elements.
Weakening Clean Car Standard would hurt EV uptake, industry warns
Tue 7 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Electric vehicle advocates say weakening the Clean Car Standard would reduce access to new EV models, undermining New Zealand's place in global supply chains and slowing the country's transition to lower-emissions transport.
Northern Thai residents march for action on polluted rivers. ‘This is an emergency’
9 Jun 2026
More than 600 residents of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces embarked May 31 on a roughly 68-kilometer, six-day ‘peace walk’ to demand the Thai government take action on the river pollution crisis that has seen Thai rivers polluted with heavy metals.
US defence spending on critical minerals surges in the last decade
22 Jun 2026
Members of communities affected by some of these projects said that U.S. state backing has meant projects are being fast-tracked without the necessary social and environmental checks or meaningful consultation.
Faster consenting, harder trade-offs
Tue 7 Jul 2026
Faster consenting is starting to produce results, but this week's decisions show speed has not removed the harder trade-offs around electricity security, conservation, ecology and climate liability.
Upton warns of 'expensive mess' if catchments carved up
1 Jul 2026
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has warned the Government risks creating an "expensive mess" if it abolishes regional councils without first deciding which environmental functions must still be managed at catchment or regional scale.
Strong El Niño raises drought and wildfire concerns
Thu 2 Jul 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A newly declared El Niño is expected to bring drier conditions to parts of New Zealand over the coming months, increasing the risk of drought, water shortages and wildfires, while experts warn communities should prepare for potentially significant impacts.
Australia's battery subsidies spark rooftop solar resurgence
Tue 7 Jul 2026
The rooftop solar boom shows how countries stifled by transmission line logjams can continue reducing emissions, analysts say.
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.
Lack of finance stalling sustainable innovation – report
12 Jun 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | A lack of access to suitable finance is threatening growth in New Zealand's sustainable innovation sector, despite strong confidence and ambitious expansion plans among purpose-driven businesses, according to a new report.
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.
Australia is at least ten years ahead of us on solar. It’s time we caught up.
Fri 3 Jul 2026
By Ed Harvey | OPINION: Starting this week, millions of households across New South Wales, South Australia and Southeast Queensland will have access to three hours of free electricity every single day.
‘Those blocking climate science are not our friends': Pacific leaders warn at Bonn talks
23 Jun 2026
Pacific nations and civil society groups have united at UN climate talks, pushing back against efforts to weaken agreed language on global temperature limits as negotiations continue behind closed doors.
Next Govt must restart action on plastic pollution
1 Jul 2026
Media release - Zero Waste Aotearoa | Plastic Free July begins with an urgent call to put plastic pollution back on the political agenda. Plastic Free July is a worldwide campaign to reduce plastic waste and eliminate single use plastics.
Waikato Council advances water security action plan
23 Jun 2026
Waikato Regional Council has endorsed a new action plan to strengthen the region’s water security.
Wildfires scorch southern France as heat and drought fuel blazes
Mon 6 Jul 2026
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said nearly 7,000 fires have broken out since the start of the summer season, with some 8,700 hectares already burned. “The situation is fairly tense.”
Offshore renewable energy bill passes, opening path for developers
Thu 2 Jul 2026
By Oli Lewis | Feasibility permits for offshore wind developments could be issued within months after the Government passed a long-awaited law to establish a regulatory regime.
