News & Updates

August 28: Rewiring Aotearoa has welcomed the announcement of a taskforce to address issues in the electricity market but says the time for investigating is over and it is now time for action.

Alka Prasad digs into the numbers in the Investing in Tomorrow report and finds out how New Zealand could save $29 million per week just by electrifying our homes and cars.

"Combined, New Zealand homes and businesses are currently spending around $55 million every day or $20 billion per year on fossil fuels, most of which are imported," says Saul Griffith. "Approximately two-thirds of New Zealand’s total energy needs are met by burning these expensive fossil fuels. But this country is one of the first in the world to cross an ‘electrification tipping point’, where the cost of buying and financing electric machines is cheaper over the long run than using fossil fuels. That leads to savings for individual households and it could lead to huge savings for the country as a whole.”

New research from Rewiring Aotearoa shows electrification could save New Zealand households around $29 million per day by 2040 and massively reduce the country’s emissions.

We’re all about the win-win-wins at Rewiring Aotearoa. And, as Dr Saul Griffith says in this presentation, electrification promises to save every New Zealander money, greatly improve the country’s books, and slash our emissions. What’s not to love?

More news, views and hullaballoos from the world of electrification, with a big event next week spelling out the economic opportunity for New Zealand; red states embracing solar and coppers embracing EVs in the US; Norway getting close to 100% on EVs; hydrogen cars sucking; Europe looking to the sky to get off Russian gas; and exciting news for e-bike entrepreneurs and explorers.

Rewiring Aotearoa has been advocating strongly for rooftop solar, because it's the cheapest form of delivered electricity available to New Zealanders, unlocks a lot of the savings associated with household electrification and would help deal with dry years because there's more sun when it's not raining. So it's always nice when someone agrees with you and a piece by academics Stephen Poletti, Bruce Mountain and Geoff Bertram backs our argument up. As it says: "To alleviate the energy supply shortfalls primarily attributable to low rainfall, we suggest rapidly expanding cheap solar photovoltaics (PV), specifically rooftop solar for ordinary households. Our soon-to-be-published research suggests such capacity can be expanded quickly and cheaply... we encourage the energy minister to make the expansion of rooftop solar the top option for expanding the electricity supply and tackling the gentailer power that bedevils the market. He will almost certainly find it quicker, cheaper and more popular than importing gas.":

Our ERP2 submission outlines what we think needs to be done to improve the Government's plan to reach our climate targets, electrify the Aotearoa New Zealand economy and build a fairer future energy system for New Zealanders that saves people money and does not leave anyone behind.

Batteries in homes and businesses may seem individually small, but they could have a significant impact on the security and resilience of New Zealand’s power system. For example, 120,000 homes (or 5% of households in New Zealand) with a medium-sized battery could potentially reduce the peak electricity load by as much as our largest hydro power station, Manapouri. That’s why we’re asking the powers that be for something called symmetrical export tariffs so that customers with solar and batteries are paid fairly for their contribution, the payback time will be reduced and more people will have the confidence to invest in these technologies so the price of electricity can be reduced and we can keep the lights on in the event of an emergency.

Our hydro lakes are basically like big batteries and we need to save them for when they are most needed, says Mike Casey. Currently it's the job of coal to help keep this big battery charged during a dry year and that's expensive and polluting. But when it doesn't rain it shines and between April-August, sunshine hours are, on average, 5% higher in a dry year compared to the average. 

We're all charged up this week with some more big - and magical - machines; one of the best looking caravans we've ever seen (plus some EV towing info); how the big batteries in these big machines are starting to play a role in the energy system; a solar breakthrough that might allow us to put solar cells on our clothes, mobiles or cars; and if you liked the movie Don’t Look Up, you might be into a new play at Silo Theatre called Scenes From The Climate Era. 

One's also helluva cleaner, with the average solar install potentially stopping around one metric tonne of coal from being burned at Huntly, as Mike Casey outlines in his opinion piece about the current electricity situation on Newsroom NZ. Solar is by no means a silver bullet for our energy issues, but more of it on our homes, farms and businesses means we can potentially have our cake (keep electricity prices low for New Zealanders and reduce coal use) and eat it too (give customers with solar and batteries the ability to benefit if prices stay high). There will be benefits for everyone in New Zealand if more people own their power, rather than continuing to rent it. But we need to start thinking about customers as part of the infrastructure, something that the market has not been set up to handle.

The Government has released a document outlining how it plans to meet our emissions targets. However, as stated by many climate scientists and media outlets, the combination of policies proposed in the ERP2 document will not keep New Zealand on track for Net Zero 2050, nor will they enable us to meet our third emissions budget. We want as many New Zealanders as possible to make a submission on the plan and share their main areas of concern and where they see the biggest missed opportunities. This guide will run you through the submisson process, outline our main arguments and even give you an email template to tailor.

"Electricity prices are higher than ever - clean energy charity Rewiring Aotearoa boss Mike Casey wants to change the game with solar power."

There will be benefits for everyone in New Zealand if more people own their power, rather than continuing to rent it. But we need to start thinking about customers with solar and batteries as part of the infrastructure, something that the market has not been set up to handle. Roll on that world, says Mike Casey.

With high electricity prices in the news recently, Jamie Mackay talks to Mike Casey about the role solar can play in bringing prices down for households with panels on the roof - and all New Zealanders.

EVs cross a big tipping point in China and upfront costs are expected to keep falling this year; sales of gas hot water systems decline in New Zealand for the first time in ten years; 'why the solar industrial revolution is the biggest investment opportunity in history' and opens up some amazing possibilities; the many benefits of induction cooktops; and Australian comedian Tom Gleeson explains why big power companies might want to put some solar panels on their power stations.

In this week's best of, a report showing that batteries beat oil by a long way when it comes to mining, EV sales in New Zealand still growing (and sun is an excellent fuel in Africa), the amazing electric machines currently being built in China, a handy video explainer on the concept of useful energy, and a classic Nissan Leaf commercial that makes you think about the machines that still burn fossil fuel.

After Mike Casey spoke to almost 100 people in Masterton about the economic and environmental benefits of electrification, long-time councillor Chris Peterson wrote an opinion piece about Rewiring Aotearoa's realistic ‘what’s in it for me’ approach to achieving results, the success of the Electrifying Queenstown event and the momentum that's now building in the region for an Electrify Wairarapa campaign. As he writes: "No matter your political persuasion, one thing that seems to unite us is saving money so it has been encouraging to see genuine collaboration — reflecting, hopefully, a realisation that we are all in this climate crisis together and that electrifying the region means there is also something in it for the community." Where next?

A new electric dumper in Wellington and new electric buses in Christchurch, an energy hardship project with real world data, a novel scheme in some US resort towns that makes up for outdoor energy use, Rivian's very appealing new charging outpost and easily the best love song we've ever heard.