The case for energy loans: read our latest explainer
The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment opened consultation on a discussion document about amendments to the Electricity Safety Regulations to expand the permitted voltage range for electricity supply. Rewiring Aotearoa's submission believes changes are needed to prepare for the rapid adoption of customer energy resources, and electricity distribution companies need to be compelled to allow export limits to be increased.
Overall, Rewiring Aotearoa welcomes the proposals made in the consultation. It is an important step towards better preparing the Aotearoa NZ’s energy system for the efficient and rapid rollout of customer energy resources (CER) across homes, farms, and businesses.
However, changing the standards does not compel EDBs to amend their existing export limits on CER. The Government (following this consultation) should set an expectation that EDBs move quickly to integrate these updated voltage standards into their export limits. This would effectively double the default export limit for households, encouraging the installation of larger solar systems. These systems would not only help reduce energy costs but also contribute to greater energy security by storing more energy for peak winter demand, thus helping to keep water in hydro dams when it's needed most. A phased approach could delay these benefits, while immediate action will support a faster transition to a more resilient, decentralised energy system.
"We've lost the cops!" In our next instalment of Political Power, we managed to get David Seymour, deputy prime minister and leader of the Act Party, behind the wheel of a Zeekr 7x when he was in Queenstown recently. As is often the case when people take a new EV for a spin, there was much chortling as he gave it heaps up the Remarkables ski field road - and, if we take him at his word, we might even see him give Mike Casey's tractor heaps up Parliament steps in the future.
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