“of course We can make cheap electricity with expensive, imported gas.”
Don't listen to Old Man Gas.
Ditch LNG and back New Zealand Made Energy
The proposed Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) import terminal is a multi-billion dollar tax on Kiwis that many experts and sector players don't think is necessary. It would mean:
1. Increased prices
Modelling shows it could increase electricity bills, while putting us at the mercy of volatile global energy prices and delaying our inevitable transition to cheaper, cleaner renewable electricity.
2. Safety concerns
There are also safety concerns about the location of the proposed facility at Port Taranaki, close to residential and recreational areas.
3. Lengthy legal challenges
And because of the process followed by the Government, another area of risk is that it's likely the LNG import facility will be subject to legal challenge.
4. Locked to costs and emissions
Building this terminal would commit New Zealand to using LNG into the future, and its associated costs and emissions.
Made Energy
Running on New Zealand-made energy gives us savings, resilience and security. What we actually need is for the Government to hit pause on LNG and divert all the resources they've been putting into it (and then some) to focus on an ambitious, rapid industrial gas transition, alongside rapid electrification of homes, farms and smaller businesses.
We could lead the world.
The global story of New Zealand's energy transition could either be one of slow deindustrialisation and regional economies collapsing (and the further hardship that follows), or one of New Zealand modernising its industrial base and building an energy system that will provide abundance for years to come.
Rewiring Aotearoa commissioned a report in collaboration with Sapere, laying out a blueprint for what a future without LNG looks like, while being resilient to future dry years.
Read the Sapere reportIf the LNG contract isn't signed before the election, this is a win.
Less gas being burned is a good thing - for the economy, for energy security, for the environment. But the decision hasn't been made yet - the terminal could still go ahead.
We're working to bring the message of New Zealand-made energy to Parliament.
Donate to the Operation Laser Kiwi campaign and we'll take New Zealand-made energy on the road.
Donate to Operation Laser KiwiLearn more
(Almost) Nobody wants this
The list of those who think we need an LNG import terminal is very small. And the list of those who think we don't is long and growing. Consultants, industry players, energy experts, consumer advocates and climate organisations all agree LNG is bad for New Zealand. So why is it still on the table when better alternatives exist?
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The dry year explained
New Zealand is well-endowed with natural resources that we have harnessed to run our homes, farms and businesses. We are very reliant on hydro storage for electricity and when it doesn't rain we need to rely on other sources. So what's the best way to plug that gap as we wait for more renewable resources to come online (spoiler alert: it's not LNG)?
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A bad case of gas
We need gas in the short term to generate electricity and for certain industries to keep operating, but gas is expensive, it is likely to get more expensive, and it is running out faster than expected. So how do we use it now? How are shortages and price rises impacting homes and businesses? And what can we replace it with?
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What it looks like
Mike Casey runs 21 electric machines on his cherry orchard, powers them with lots of solar and batteries, saves about $50,000 a year by avoiding diesel and has slashed his emissions down to basically nothing.
It is a great demonstration of what's possible with tech that exists now.
We pat ourselves on the back for being highly renewable, but electricity only makes up a small chunk of the total. Over half our total energy comes from imported fossil fuels that we rely on to run many of our ten million fossil fuel machines. It's expensive. It's inefficient. It's dirty. And Rewiring is on a mission to get more New Zealand-made energy running through electric machines - for the economics, the energy security and the emissions.
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Your donations help our team keep the momentum of rapidly electrifying Aotearoa New Zealand within our key focus areas of community, government and industry.
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