Batteries on wheels

As we wrote in our electric vehicle explainer, “cars are crucial when we need them, but they sit idle for a large portion of their life. So what if they could be put to use when they’re not moving and act as energy storage?"

Technology like vehicle to home (V2H) or vehicle to grid (V2G) turns EVs from what many believe is a problem (‘the grid won’t be able to handle all this extra charging load’, which is BS, by the way) into a resource (‘batteries in cars could help smooth the peaks on the grid and power their home or their neighbours’ home and provide weeks of resilience in a natural disaster').

There have been a number of successful pilots and plenty of research into the feasability of such tech but it is now hittingthe real world and Utrecht, a place renowned for its amazing cycling infrastructure, has announced a 'pioneering Vehicle-to-Grid car-sharing service called ‘Utrecht Energized’ with Renault. 

“The initiative aims to stabilise the local grid while offering residents an affordable and sustainable mobility solution. It marks the first fully operational V2G ecosystem in a European city.” 

It has kicked off with 50 cars and Renault is providing a total of 500.

Blending in‍

You may have noticed that we’re pretty big fans of rooftop solar here at Rewiring Aotearoa, but there are some who are more concerned with form over function and feel that the panels detract from the look of a place. 

There are a number of new solutions, from panels that can be integrated into the roof or even solar that’s integrated into windows from an Aussie company called ClearVue. But Megasol is now offering customisable panels that can be made into “rectangles, triangles, polygons, curves or arches – the shape of the solar modules can be freely selected and perfectly adapted to architectural concepts”. 

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There are also a number of different finishes and colours available and solar can also be used on historical buildings, like this listed house in Switzerland. 

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Power to the people

There has been plenty of enthusiasm about the role community owned energy projects and energy sharing could play for low-income homes, but the reality is that very few of them have delivered on their promise and there are often businesses in the middle trying to make a profit. But this story from 350.org shows that energy history has been made in the hills above Rio de Janeiro's famous Copacabana beach. 

“In Rio, wealthier neighborhoods receive uninterrupted energy while communities in neighboring favelas suffer blackouts for days at a time. On top of this, favela residents are forced to pay extortionate electricity rates in relation to their incomes. Revolusolar, a Rio-based NGO, partnered with the residents of Babilonia and Chapeu-Mangueira favelas to start the first ever solar cooperative in a favela in Brazil. Community-led renewable energy initiatives around the world are tackling not only the climate and energy crisis, but also tackling energy poverty and inequality.”

In New Zealand, Our Energy’s platform was used to share energy amongst the community in the Kia Whitianga project.

More power to them

China has been leading the global charge on electrification and, as the FT wrote recently, it’s arguably the world’s first ‘electostate’. 

As this story shows, China’s emissions dropped in the first few months of 2025, the only industrialised country to achieve that, and the authors suggest it was due to the huge amounts of wind and solar being added to its energy system. 

Amazingly, China now has more battery energy storage than hydro capacity. 

“Having positioned themselves at the forefront of the global energy transition, Chinese firms are ‘already quietly leapfrogging to the front of the development race’ of the next critical frontier — industrial decarbonization”. 

When the factories are electrified, we will be able to reduce the embedded emissions associated with the manufacturing of the electric machines that we need for the energy transition, and that will make them an even better option.

Like China, it's also in New Zealand's national interests to run the economy on locally produced electrons rather than expensive and mostly imported foreign fossil fuel molecules, as outlined in our manifesto. 

Better call Saul

They say everyone’s got a book in them, and that’s where most of them should stay. But Saul Griffith is not everyone and he’s just released his newest one, Plug In: The Electrification Handbook. 

We all know that renewable energy is the future, but how can we ditch coal and gas in our own lives and homes? Plug In! is full of pro tips and essential information for your electrification journey.

Energy expert Saul Griffith, with help from some of his electrifying friends, covers the five big decisions:

1. Where you get your electricity
2. Hot water
3. House heat
4. Cooking
5. Transport

But wait, there's more: the new abundance agenda, all hail the tradie army, what to know about EVs – plus great graphics! Join the movement and electrify your world with Plug In!

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Get one for yourself. Get one for your friends. And maybe even get one for your sworn enemy just to pump up the sales. 

MegaWatts: rise of the local electrons. 

The latest instalment of Rewiring Aotearoa’s MegaWatts campaign has dropped and reviewers* are calling it a gripping romp, a triumph, a tour de force. 

“One man. One manifesto. Many portfolios. His name is MegaWatts and he has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to save households thousands on their energy bills, save the country $11 billion every year, slash our emissions, keep the lights on, grow the economy, and help New Zealand lead the world. Will he grasp it? Or will others step in and steal his thunder in next year’s ‘electric election'?” 

Remember to send Simon ‘MegaWatts’ Watts and the opposition parties a message letting them know you back the vision that’s laid out in our manifesto. 

*Like the AI generated video, reviewers may not be real.