News & Updates

New Zealand has become one of the few countries in the world where it's now cheaper to run a home and car on electricity rather than fossil fuels.

A new paper argues that financing for solar power would be the cheapest and most efficient way to electrify the economy. The Electric Homes report, put together by Rewiring Aotearoa and others, argues that rooftop solar is now far cheaper than any other source of electricity with households well placed to cut their costs and reduce emissions.

Such significant financial benefits are expected to motivate consumers towards electrification, regardless of whether electricity distribution networks are equipped to handle the change. The anticipated surge in adoption within New Zealand could mirror the extensive adoption of home solar systems in Australia, propelled by government subsidies. It is hoped that New Zealand will better anticipate and prepare for this grid-edge revolution than Australia managed to do.

18 March 2024: New Zealand is one of the first places in the world where electric appliances and vehicles are now more affordable than their fossil fuel equivalents. A new report has shown that, on average, homes currently using gas appliances and petrol vehicles could save thousands every year if they went electric and got their electricity from a combination of rooftop solar, home battery and New Zealand’s already highly renewable grid.

The Electric Homes Report by independent energy transition charity Rewiring Aotearoa shows the country is among the pioneers in making electric appliances more cost-effective over their lifetime than fossil fuelled ones, even with upfront costs and finance included. Rewiring Aotearoa's chief executive Mike Casey said electric appliances and vehicles were now economically favourable compared to fossil fuel ones, due to their efficiency and reduced operational costs.

"A house that moves to being fully electric - with solar panels and an electric vehicle, even with the cost of finance can save thousands of dollars a year compared to the fossil fuel equivalent. Rewiring Aotearoa - a non-profit organisation making the case for electrification of homes, businesses and communities - has today put out its Electric Homes report. It says New Zealand is likely one of the first countries in the world to have reached a point where electrification delivers both cost and emissions savings."

"I had not gone to the Forum with particularly high expectations but it didn’t take long to realise that this was something special. Speakers from across the entire spectrum of the environmental debate took the podium. From the Environmental Defence Society to Federated Farmers, to big business interests like Fonterra, to environmental scientists like Fin Ross, to the fossil free cherry orchardist from Cromwell and his Rewiring Aotearoa initiative, to Wayne Mulligan who discussed the $30 billion dollar bio forestry opportunity for our farming and forestry industries."

ASB and Rewiring Aotearoa have signed a letter of intent to produce a pilot study on energy transitions in Kiwi homes, examining renewable energy options such as solar panels, batteries, and electric appliances.

In this future, consumer infrastructure needs to compete on a level playing field with traditional infrastructure – if a $10,000 battery on a consumer’s premises can provide the same service as a $20,000 supply-side asset (a network or generation investment), the consumer’s asset should be selected for the service. However, today there is a systemic bias towards traditional infrastructure largely because it is seen as significantly more ‘dependable’. There are a variety of historical reasons for this. Our primary context to this submission is that many of the assumptions and rationale for this bias are quickly falling away, and DPP4 provides a significant opportunity for the Commerce Commission (the Commission) to reset the assumptions and correct some of this bias.

The founders of the world's first fully electric orchard are using their knowledge to help climate-conscious farmers ditch fossil fuels and embrace the cost savings that come with renewable technology.

Mike and Rebecca Casey have what could be the first zero-fossil fuels orchard in the world. Their Forest Lodge Orchard - growing mainly cherries - in Cromwell has no diesel or petrol on site and has the country's first electric tractor.

The EA has the ability to take a leadership role in the energy transition on behalf of electricity consumers. Far more than the Commerce Commission’s oversight of EDBs investment plans, the EA’s network pricing workplan gives consumers agency in the development of the electricity system. When consumer agency is stifled, they will likely have significantly worse financial outcomes on their bills. Much of the necessary changes have been demonstrated already locally or overseas, and the remaining question is not if the changes are possible but if we as a nation will have the courage to implement them on the timeline required to drive better energy transition outcomes for consumers.

In July 2023, at a showcase tech demo in Central Otago, New Zealand, the world’s first 100% electric, driver-optional, smart tractor was deployed at the world’s first 100% electric, zero fossil fuel orchard sparking a wave of excitement and interest across the country. Three months later, that same electric tractor made an appearance on New Zealand’s most-watched television show, Hyundai Country Calendar.

A Central Otago couple creates the country’s first fossil-fuel-free cherry orchard, using electricity, solar power and an electric tractor.

When Mike Casey, tech entrepreneur, decided to get into farming, he had no idea what he was in for. Maybe that's why he was willing to set the extraordinarily ambitious target of creating the world's first 100% zero fossil-fuel orchard. In this vulnerable and transparent talk, he walks us through the reality of what worked, what didn't, how much it all cost, and whether it was worthwhile.

The electrification of a farm system is no bowl of cherries – but one Otago farmer has learnt lessons along the way that should help others in pursuit of low-carbon farming.

As it enters a new phase of its energy transition, New Zealand has the opportunity to provide global leadership on how to deploy renewables-based electricity across the economy.