Topics tagged with 'Technology'
China’s domination of solar a risk to zero-carbon future: IEA
11 Jul 2022
Countries must lessen their dependence on China’s production of solar panels and dramatically boost manufacturing capacity to reach net-zero emissions, the International Energy Agency has said.
New Kiwi tech electrifying jetboats
8 Jul 2022
Kiwi tech is electrifying jetboats here and around the world, with an Auckland startup going global with the world’s first turnkey electric jet propulsion system for boats; while the iconic Shotover Jet has completed a prototype conversion of one of its ICE models.
Best by the rest…
8 Jul 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in the local media: Offshore oil and gas exploration goes ahead despite bans; indigenous forests’ carbon sequestration superpowers; and is romanticising New Zealand’s colonial past hindering our climate response?
UK’s first ‘industrial scale’ carbon capture plant opens in Cheshire
29 Jun 2022
A carbon capture plant that has opened in Northwich is the largest such project in the UK. The £20 million facility will convert 40,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide into food and pharmaceutical grade sodium bicarbonate each year.
Valencia introduces an option for climate-neutral burial
23 Jun 2022
Starting from July, the City of Valencia will offer compostable burial urns as an alternative to traditional ones made from metal or ceramic. The vessels will come with a young tree sapling, which can be planted together with the urn to serve as an organic and sentimental reminder of the deceased person.
Heavy industries in Australia’s regions could cut emissions by 80% and create a jobs bonanza: report
20 Jun 2022
The regional powerhouses of Australia’s industrial economy could slash their greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80% and become centres for multibillion-dollar investments in renewable energy, according to a report backed by some of the country’s biggest companies.
This enzyme-coated cotton offers a low-tech way to capture CO2
17 Jun 2022
Long met with skepticism, the idea of capturing carbon dioxide from air and from industrial smokestacks is now accepted as necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Capturing carbon at low cost on a large scale will require innovative solutions.
South Taranaki offshore wind a step closer
15 Jun 2022
Offshore wind power is a step closer for South Taranaki, with the NZ Super Fund and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) preparing to take wind measurements.
Countries mull delaying new EU carbon market in search of climate deal
15 Jun 2022
European Union countries are considering a one-year delay to the launch of a new European carbon market for buildings and transport, pushing back the start to 2027, as they seek a compromise on more ambitious climate policies, draft documents show.
Aussie banks discount loans for EVs, but Kiwis still pay full price
14 Jun 2022
By Liz Kivi | Westpac Australia has announced discounted loans for electric vehicles (EVs), however its New Zealand subsidiary has no immediate plans to follow suit.
Three companies seek permits for carbon storage off Norway
14 Jun 2022
The Norwegian Government has received applications from three companies seeking to secure permits for future carbon storage sites off Norway.
Prometheus Materials uses algae-based cement to make masonry blocks
10 Jun 2022
Colorado-based Prometheus Materials has developed masonry blocks from a low-carbon cement-like material grown from micro-algae.
US landfills are getting a second life as solar farms
9 Jun 2022
When landfills get capped and grassed over, they have the appearance of lush, rolling hills. Despite their green appearance, however, these sites are known as “brownfields”—a term for an environmentally hazardous site without a promising future. Indeed, landfills are typically unsuitable for development because the contents below the surface are both contaminated and physically unstable.
Waiheke Island leading the charge with EV uptake
7 Jun 2022
By Liz Kivi | Tiny Waiheke Island, with its resident population of 9500 people, is speeding ahead with the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).
$1m community battery unveiled in Melbourne in move towards more renewable energy
7 Jun 2022
A battery the size of four fridges installed in Melbourne's inner north is expected to provide solar power to about 200 homes in a push to get more renewable energy into the network.
Global consumers demanding a low emissions economy: Stuart Nash
3 Jun 2022
Minister for economic and regional development Stuart Nash says manufacturers shouldn’t underestimate the power of global consumers and their desire for truly sustainable goods.
“Golden age of renewables” hailed at official launch of Australia’s biggest wind project
3 Jun 2022
Spanish energy giant Acciona Energía has hailed a “golden age of renewables” at the official launch event for the start of construction at Australia’s biggest wind farm to date – the 1.026GW MacIntyre project in Queensland.
Is this the World’s most eco-friendly landfill?
1 Jun 2022
Once-endangered Pinzgau goats are among the many animals to flourish on Vienna’s “trash mountain,” which heats roughly one-fifth of the city’s homes.
Climate change puts agrivoltaic projects in Northern Africa in the spotlight
31 May 2022
As food and energy security emerge as top priorities in several regions, an innovative use of existing technologies might help serve both: Agrivoltaic projects allow energy production and agricultural activity on the same land, potentially increasing farming productivity.
Questions asked over why NZ shuns carbon capture
30 May 2022
By Ian Llewellyn - editor Energy & Environment | Energy research centre Ara Ake says there needs to be an examination on whether New Zealand should use carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) as part of the arsenal to meet climate change targets.
Best by the rest...
27 May 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in the local media: How will the country meet emissions budgets? Different approaches to mode shift; and the disastrous effects of rising sea temperatures are already being felt.
“Under-prepared on all fronts:” Australian renewables exposed to supply and cost crunch
25 May 2022
Despite a federal election result that promises a new era of political support for the Australian renewable energy industry, a major report warns of a tough road ahead for a market still feeling the effects of supply-chain “long Covid.”
New printable solar material with “free” electrons sparks new direction in solar panel research
23 May 2022
Media Release - Organic solar panels have the potential to rapidly improve our solar capacity. These can be printed like newspaper – and so can be flexible, lightweight, much cheaper to make, and more versatile than current silicon solar technology.
International commision votes to allow use of more climate-friendly refrigerants
23 May 2022
A secretive vote in the arcane and Byzantine world of international safety standards late last month may lead to a dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from home heating and cooling systems in the coming years.
Biden commits $3.5 billion to carbon capture
23 May 2022
The US government is investing in machines that suck giant amounts of carbon dioxide out of the air in the hopes of reducing damage from climate change.
Studio MOM creates eco-friendly cycle helmet from mycelium and hemp
19 May 2022
Dutch design office polystyrene (https://www.dezeen.com/tag/studio-mom/">Studio MOM has developed a bicycle helmet from biomaterials that, unlike
New JOLT EV charging network for NZ
18 May 2022
Australian company JOLT is partnering with Mitre 10 to roll out a network of free, fast electric vehicle (EV) chargers around New Zealand.
Zero-carbon flat glass made for the first time by Saint-Gobain
17 May 2022
In a world first, France’s Cie. de Saint-Gobain said it produced carbon-neutral flat glass by using recycled materials and green energy.
Solar farm promises continue to grow as does scepticism
16 May 2022
By Ian Llewellyn -Energy and Environment | YET more companies have expressed interest in building a vast array of solar farms. However, there is scepticism that many will come to fruition with one senior energy executive saying there is a lolly scramble for a limited amount of suitable land.
IEA expects record renewable growth despite cost, supply problems
16 May 2022
Rising concerns over energy security and climate change will galvanize record new capacity to generate renewable power in 2022, the International Energy Agency has forecast.
Wellington’s flying fish soars above expectations
13 May 2022
Wellington’s first fast EV ferry is still making waves after two months in service, proving lighter, faster, and more energy efficient than its creators anticipated.
Giga-scale solar manufacturing roaring back to Europe: industry chief
13 May 2022
Solar players are now very willing to relocate to Europe again to cater for soaring demand as the continent tries to wean itself off Russian energy imports and meet climate targets, Carsten Körnig, chief executive of the German solar industry federation (BSW Solar) said at the opening of the Intersolar 2022 event in Munich.
Swedish green steel firm racks up sales before plant is built
11 May 2022
Sweden’s H2 Green Steel has pre-sold more than half of its planned initial capacity and aims to close financing for a plant in the north by the end of the year, Chief Executive Officer Henrik Henriksson said in an interview.
Energy strategy needed for infrastructure plan
9 May 2022
By Ian Llewellyn - editor Energy and Environment | The first long-term infrastructure strategy points to the need for a modified energy strategy to back a massive build in new renewable electricity generation without pushing for it to be 100% renewable.
UK wind and solar boom will bring energy surplus
9 May 2022
Britain will have excess electricity supplies for more than half of the year by 2030 as a huge expansion of wind and solar power transforms the energy system, a new analysis suggests.
Electric bus sales overtaking diesel
6 May 2022
Public transport is gradually making the switch to renewable energy, with electric bus imports overtaking diesel for the first time in the past 12 months.
Bay of Plenty council aiming for zero corporate emissions
4 May 2022
Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council has reduced its corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 15% since 2019, but still has a long way to go to reach its aim of being carbon neutral by 2050.
This is what the world’s first floating city will look like
2 May 2022
The world’s first prototype floating city that adapts to sea level rise has just been unveiled at UN headquarters in New York.
Kiwi tech boosting UN Pacific Islands climate change initiative
29 Apr 2022
Kiwi tech is central to a United Nations environmental programme combating climate change and preventing the extinction of hundreds of endangered species in the Pacific Islands.
New ferries to electrify Auckland Harbour
27 Apr 2022
Two new fully electric ferries will launch in Auckland Harbour from 2024, with $27 million funding announced by the government yesterday. Megan Woods, Minister for Energy and Resources, says the ferries will each “displace” 1000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
New energy company planning grid-scale solar
20 Apr 2022
A collaboration of renewable energy developers from the United States and New Zealand have founded a new company promising grid-scale solar developments to lower energy prices and cut carbon emissions.
Germany’s largest dairy co-op launches vegan product range
20 Apr 2022
Germany’s biggest dairy co-op, DMK Group, is expanding its Milram range to include oat-based desserts and drinks.
Riding bikes for climate a life-changer
19 Apr 2022
By Liz Kivi | Christchurch man Simon Kong has gone from non-cyclist to self-described cycling evangelist. Within the space of a year he sold his car, has clocked up 6,683 km cycling, and says he lives “98%” of his life on a bike.
The quest to build a tiny Bolivian EV
19 Apr 2022
Bolivian startup Quantum Motors makes tiny EVs aimed at the Latin American masses. Will they buy it?
Big tech launches $925 million fund for carbon removal
13 Apr 2022
A supergroup of big-name companies — Alphabet, McKinsey, Meta, Shopify and Stripe — has launched an advance market commitment to fund the development of permanent carbon-removal tech.
Community group hopes to slash emissions with e-trikes
12 Apr 2022
By Liz Kivi | A Christchurch community organisation supplying organic veggies to low-income households is crowdfunding for cargo e-trikes to cut carbon emissions from their deliveries.
Vegan marketing expert shocked at NZ's campaign against "plant-based" diet
11 Apr 2022
By Liz Kivi | The creator of a vegan online guide is disappointed that New Zealand was instrumental in removing a call for “plant-based” diets from the summary of the latest IPCC report.
New directory to help businesses slash carbon
11 Apr 2022
A business directory launching tomorrow aims to reduce carbon emissions and waste by helping businesses transition to a circular economy.
Solar panels, made from food waste, produce energy without sunlight
8 Apr 2022
Solar panels are a cornerstone of the clean energy revolution. And yet, they have one great flaw: when the clouds roll in their productivity dives.
Is this Zaha Hadid-designed building a blueprint for the carbon neutral 'office of the future'?
7 Apr 2022
Zaha Hadid Architects took visual cues from undulating desert dunes when creating the sinuous headquarters for environmental management company Beeah Group in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Fifty years of observations, no reversal of glacier climate damage
31 Mar 2026
Media release: Earth Sciences New Zealand | Fifty years on from the first aerial survey of our Southern Alps glaciers, late snow and variable summer weather delivered a temporary reprieve from rapid ice loss, says Earth Sciences New Zealand.
Climate experts say spring is coming earlier. How will that affect agriculture and ecosystems?
Tue 7 Apr 2026
An earlier spring affects when migratory birds arrive, leaves emerge, and fruit ripens — among plants and animals that determine ecosystem health.
$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.
Signs of jet fuel hoarding emerge in Asia on Iran oil shock
26 Mar 2026
Signs are growing that Asian countries are hoarding jet fuel after the Iran war sent oil prices surging, reflecting growing strain on the aviation industry.
Environmental groups launch legal action over Govt's 'tick-box approach' to conservation land
Today 11:30am
By Liz Kivi | Forest & Bird and the Environmental Defence Society are taking the Government to court over decisions about the future of publicly-owned land on Te Tai Poutini/the West Coast.
Genesis fires up pellet study with Nature’s Flame
Today 11:30am
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.
Supply-side pressures and political uncertainty ahead for carbon market
Tue 7 Apr 2026
By Kristen Green | ANALYSIS: With failed auctions, a surge of new forestry registrations, and an election a few months away, the NZ ETS in 2026 will be subject to a mix of supply-side pressures and political uncertainty.
Oil prices choppy after expletive-laden Trump threat to Iran
Today 11:30am
Oil prices saw choppy trading on Monday after US President Donald Trump threatened to destroy critical infrastructure in Iran unless it allows ships to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
Economic contraction will impact carbon market
1 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | While higher fossil fuel prices strengthen the long-run economics of decarbonisation, the current fuel crisis won’t inspire near-term confidence in the carbon market, according to Lizzie Chambers of Carbon Match.
Asia ramps up use of dirty fuels to cover energy shortfall triggered by Iran war
Thu 2 Apr 2026
South Korea will delay the shutdown of coal-fired plants, while the Philippines also plans to boost the output of its coal-burning plants
Death toll in Afghanistan flooding increases to 28, authorities say
1 Apr 2026
Afghan authorities said Monday that the death toll from severe weather that has struck swathes of the country over the past four days has increased to 28, with 49 people injured. Dozens of people have died from extreme weather in the country so far this year.
Sustainable retail-office project breaks ground under new Green Star framework
19 Feb 2026
Construction is set to begin on a new retail-office development in central Auckland, which is targeting a 40% reduction in embodied carbon and 25% lower energy.
Opposition attacks Govt over fossil fuel phaseout backdown
2 Feb 2026
By Liz Kivi | Revelations that Resources Minister Shane Jones ruled out New Zealand signing up to a 'road map' away from fossil fuels at last year’s global climate summit show the National Party’s minor coalition partners’ undue influence over the Government, according to Labour leader Chris Hipkins.
Carbon price: Ups and downs amid geopolitical uncertainty
26 Mar 2026
By Liz Kivi | After ups and downs in recent weeks, the carbon market again broke above the $40 mark this week, with questions around how the Middle East conflict will play out weighing on market confidence.
EA entrenches 10kW export limit for residential solar
Today 11:30am
By Pattrick Smellie | The Electricity Authority intends to require all electricity networks to offer at least a 10 kilowatt (kW) export capacity for residential rooftop and other small-scale distributed generation.
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.
Severe tropical cyclones Maila And Vaianu threaten communities in Solomon Islands, PNG and Fiji
Today 11:30am
Media release: 350.org |Two Category 3 Tropical Cyclones are currently moving through the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Fiji, while experts watch a third system potentially developing in the North Pacific.
Transport dominates NZ’s rising consumer emissions
10 Dec 2025
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Transport pollution was the biggest contributor to an increase in New Zealand’s consumption-based emissions in 2023, with emissions from household travel up 12%, and consumption-based emissions totalling 58.3 million tonnes – up 1.6% from the previous year.
Wellington planting nears one million trees
30 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Greater Wellington’s parks restoration programme will hit one million native trees this year, with the first dams to rewet peat wetlands in Queen Elizabeth Park now completed after a years-long effort to bring these ecosystems – and their carbon sequestering superpowers – back to life.
Renewable build-out runs into grid and firming limits
Today 11:30am
New Zealand's electricity market entered 2026 with renewable generation at record levels and a substantial build pipeline finally moving from paper to construction. The harder question is whether the wider system can absorb and firm that capacity fast enough.
A matter of strategy
Tue 7 Apr 2026
COMMENT: Even on the brink of a global commodities crisis, the possibilities for climate action aren't hopelessly foreclosed. Strategy can turn our fortunes around, writes David Hall.
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.”
FMA to ease conditions for green bond issues
31 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Green, social and sustainability-linked bonds will face lower disclosure requirements and regulatory costs under a class exemption newly granted by the Financial Markets Authority.
New protections for NZ migratory species under UN convention
Thu 2 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New international protections for migratory species, including several found in New Zealand, are a positive step – but global protections won’t halt the decline of migratory species on their own, experts say.
Fonterra admits ‘100% grass-fed’ claim breached law in greenwashing row
Thu 2 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Fonterra has admitted its “100% New Zealand grass-fed” claims on Anchor butter were misleading and breached the law, settling a case brought by Greenpeace Aotearoa over packaging used between December 2023 and April 2025.
Govt missing opportunity to slash electricity prices, says expert
11 Feb 2026
By Liz Kivi | The Government’s fixation on eliminating the "dry-year risk margin" as a lever to reduce costs misses a much bigger opportunity to lower electricity prices, according to Christina Hood, head of Compass Climate.
NZ prepares to join ‘gold rush’ for white hydrogen
25 Mar 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | New Zealand may be close to commercialising the capture and use of naturally occurring ‘white’ hydrogen, with investment plans for developments in the Wairarapa region picking up pace in response to spiralling oil prices.
Media round-up
20 Mar 2026
In our round-up of climate coverage in local media: Crown lawyers agree High Court could quash emissions plan if found unlawful; NZ is locked in 'disaster inertia'; and climate change is notably absent from new development laws.
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.
Lawyers complain to ombudsman over Govt failure to release LNG modelling
1 Apr 2026
By Liz Kivi | Lawyers for Climate Action has made a formal complaint to the Ombudsman over the Government’s failure to release information about its controversial decision to build a LNG import terminal.
Labour mulls GIDI 2.0 as factory closures mount
1 Apr 2026
By Pattrick Smellie | Factory closures across the country could have been prevented if the last Labour-led government’s GIDI fund to assist companies with the cost of electrification hadn't been scrapped, Labour energy spokesperson, Megan Woods, says.
NZ First targets regional share of mining royalties
30 Mar 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New Zealand First has proposed returning 50% of mining royalties to regional communities, saying that too much of the value from resource extraction is currently flowing to Wellington.
Tuvalu prioritises climate change in agreement with NZ
27 Mar 2026
By Liz Kivi | New Zealand has pledged an additional $20 million to climate resilience work in Tuvalu, more than doubling Aotearoa's aid to the tiny island nation in the current financial year.
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.
Worst in a generation: Environmentalists slam fisheries reform bill
25 Mar 2026
Media release: Greenpeace | The Fisheries Amendment Bill, which will likely have its first reading in parliament this week, is being labelled the worst fisheries policy in a generation by environmental groups who are calling for it to be rejected to protect ocean health.
Free fares call as fuel crisis impacts school attendance
Today 11:30am
An open letter is urging the Government to make public transport free for all school children and subsidised for students under 25, as rising fuel costs begin to impact attendance and access to education across the country.
Kiwis overly optimistic about state of environment
27 Feb 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | New research suggests many New Zealanders believe the environment is in better shape than it really is, with public perceptions often out of step with scientific evidence.
‘They pushed so many lies about recycling’: the fight to stop big oil pumping billions more into plastics
24 Feb 2026
Plastic production has doubled over the last 20 years – and will likely double again. For author Beth Gardiner, metal water bottles and canvas tote bags are not the solution. So what is?
Activists occupy controversial gold drilling site
25 Mar 2026
By Max Frethey, Local Democracy Reporter | Opposition in Golden Bay to a controversial gold mine at Sams Creek has flared up over the weekend after several activists briefly occupied a drilling site.
China has a new competitor? Kazakhstan reveals huge rare Earth deposit that could power the next tech boom
25 Feb 2026
China’s grip on rare earths might finally see some competition, and the world is already taking notice.
Britain hits renewable power record in 2025, but fossil fuel use also up
Today 11:30am
Renewable power such as wind and solar provided a record 52.5% of Britain’s electricity generation in 2025, government data showed on Thursday, but fossil fuel use also rose.
Sci-tech prioritisation report is a joke that could cost NZ dearly, says NZ Association of Scientists
Thu 2 Apr 2026
Media release: New Zealand Association of Scientists | The Prioritisation Report released yesterday by the Prime Minister’s Science Innovation and Technology Council makes a poor case for further cuts and changes to our research system.
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.
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.
Fuel crisis powers surge in EV interest in Asia-Pacific region
Tue 7 Apr 2026
Motorists across the Asia-Pacific region are switching to electric vehicles at a rapid pace, as rising fuel costs due to the Middle East war force consumers and companies to reconsider their reliance on petrol and diesel vehicles.
Infrastructure plan calls for ‘predictable approach’ to electrifying economy
18 Feb 2026
Aotearoa’s first National Infrastructure Plan, introduced to Parliament yesterday, calls for "a predictable approach to electrifying the economy" as one of ten priorities for the next decade.
Dairy farmers' lack of climate action 'even bleaker' than water inaction – Upton
1 Apr 2026
By Shannon Morris-Williams | Government projections for cutting agricultural emissions are being undermined by low farmer uptake, with the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment warning the country is relying on “heroic” assumptions to meet its methane targets.
AI tool predicts wildfire danger faster than current systems
26 Mar 2026
Media release | A wildfire forecasting system powered by artificial intelligence could help detect dangerous fire conditions earlier and reduce the cost of wildfire response, according to new research from Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury.
Fast-track approved project could deliver NZ’s largest wind farm
Tue 7 Apr 2026
Media release: New Zealand Government |Fast-track approval has been granted for New Zealand’s largest wind farm project.
