The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
We keep seeing examples of farmers taking energy into their own hands, saving money and increasing their resilience and Tim Campbell of Ernest Energy is one of the people helping them do it down south.
At Clover Milk Dairies in Hedgehope, his company has installed a 75kW array on some unproductive land and it's in a relatively unique configuration.
"It was a hedgerow that needed to be knocked down, so essentially we've used that land quite nicely between the main cow lank and main tanker track."
The hot water cylinders all operate during the middle of the day - something we recommend all homes with solar do - the effluent system is now also used between milkings, and the solar also plays a role when it comes to keeping the milk cool.
While the farm doesn't yet have batteries, they can be added later. But McPherson Dairies down the road has installed 100kwH of battery storage that can charge up on cheap night rates or solar during the day and discharge when milking and for cooling.
Campbell says the solar and battery set up there will take around six and a half years to pay off, including borrowing costs and claiming depreciation on the asset.
"But the resilience piece is the hard part to value."
'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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