The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
There’s plenty of energy emanating from the ground at Te Puia in Rotorua. And there’s plenty of creative energy emanating from those studying at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. Now there’s also plenty of electric energy, because the business has upgraded its fossil fuel vehicles and added a big solar system so they can run on the sun.
As Nick Dallimore, general manager of operations and site development says, Te Puia now has five fully electric people movers to shuttle guests around to the different geothermal attractions.
It also invested in five electric utility vehicles for its maintenance and food and beverage teams to get around the site. Previously, he says they relied on noisy, smelly petrol versions that interrupted the visitor experience.
The 700kw, $1 million solar system will be paid off in under five years and, as he says, “it looks pretty cool”. Staff are now asked to plug the vehicles back in when they’re not in use, but because the business doesn’t use all the energy it’s generating, it’s always sending excess back to the grid, which helps to pay the investment off.
Te Puia is an inspirational destination, both due to the power of nature and the commitment to preserving Māori skills. Let’s hope it also inspires other businesses to go electric - for the lifetime savings, reduced emissions and increased resilience.
'Twas the night before Chris-mas, and all through the house, all the voters were stirring, the pundits showing their nous … the election will soon be over, but the energy crisis won't, so we'll be there to pester whoever is in power about the need to run more of the economy on New Zealand-made energy; can Ethiopia's aggressive push for EVs work and how does New Zealand compare in terms of adoption rates?; a two-way charging trial from Genesis shows promise in Auckland, but there's still a way to go before it's mainstream; small electric vehicles are often overlooked when it comes to electrifying transport, but it's hard to miss this weird French one; a solar-powered cafe (and some electric coffee); and we endorse the political vandalism of Keith of All Trades.
Read moreDownloadPoliticians are being urged to adopt stronger electric vehicle incentives ahead of the election. Climate and energy advocacy group Rewiring Aotearoa is arguing that EVs are one of the most effective long-term solutions for rising transport and energy costs. They're promoting an EV Salary Boost proposal, which would allow workers to access EVs through pre-tax salary arrangements – similarly to already existing schemes in the UK and Australia. Policy and Government Relations Spokesperson Ngaio Neumegen told Kerre Woodham that even with the rising cost of power, it's still cheaper to run an EV than a car running on imported fuel.
A proposal that would let New Zealanders lease an electric car using their before-tax pay has not won a commitment from either National or Labour, with the 7 November election days away. Under the EV Salary Boost, put forward by Rewiring Aotearoa and Drive Electric, an employee would lease a new or used EV for three to five years. The payments would come out of their pay before tax, lowering the cost of running the car. The idea is based on Australia’s novated leasing system, though the groups say they are not proposing a direct copy.
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