Don't listen to Old Man Gas. Ditch LNG. Support New Zealand-made energy!
We love a bit of renewable hydro power in New Zealand, but Ray Tomlinson from JT Group has brought a new meaning to that phrase with what he calls "probably the first battery electric operated commercial water blaster".
Tomlinson has been washing buildings since the '80s but he wanted to develop technology that was a bit gentler on the environment. He says an old petrol machine might use $10k worth of fuel a year and running one for an hour is like driving from Auckland to Wellington.
Like a lot of electric equivalents, while the upfront cost is higher, the numbers they've done suggest that over five years it won't cost any more than a current petrol version.
It's not just costs or emissions it will be reducing, either. Petrol water blasters are very loud so using an electric version means workers finished up the day feeling a lot more refreshed.
He says there was some initial scepticism from the team, but the noise reduction has been a real benefit.
The company is looking to lease the machines and you can get yours by heading to the Summit Building Wash Technologies site https://loom.ly/qmkc-Os
Political Power has gone local! Dr Nick Smith, mayor of Nelson and ex-National Party minister, is an early adopter when it comes to electric machines but, through his efforts with the council and his close involvement with the Ratepayer Assistance Scheme, he's also embracing one of Rewiring's core mantras: once you've electrified your own life, electrify someone else's life, too.
Read moreDownloadWhether it's the growing number of electric buses, new electric trains for the lower North Island and City Rail Link, or new electric ferries, we love seeing more electric transport options in our big cities. It's also good to see some of our smaller cities like Palmerston North, Timaru and Nelson going electric and, as is almost always the case, the drivers reckon it's better on electrons. At the Electrify Nelson expo, we spoke with one driver Lee about the city's electric buses. And he definitely wouldn't go back to diesel.
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