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RNZ's Eloise Gibson looked into the question of whether gas or electric appliances are cheaper and the evidence, as outlined in Rewiring Aotearoa's Electric Homes report, is pretty clear: even with the upfront costs of replacement and finance, running electric hot water, electric heating and electric cooking is much cheaper - and less toxic - than using fossil gas and it's cheaper still if you've got rooftop solar and batteries. It makes no economic sense for new homes to connect to gas in New Zealand and if your old gas appliance breaks down, it pays to make your next purchasing electric. "Compared with using piped gas heating, hot water, and cooking, a fully electric home could save almost $11,000 over 15 years for upfront costs and energy bills, the study found. Compared with using bottled LPG for heating, hot water, and cooking, a fully electric home could save almost $20,000 over the same period."
Diesel generators, you're cooked! We’ve seen a few of our electric communities plug in to their EVs at small events and that's great to see, but Hamish Roberge from Tom Tom Productions in Queenstown has developed a solution that can be rolled out for bigger gigs. Roberge is currently on the job delivering the third Electrify Queenstown conference and it was during last year's conference that he was inspired to create NRG Event Batteries.
Read moreDownloadPhoenix Recycling looks to extend its battery life with a new agreement; Toyota gets set to bring in the 'Electrolux', but is it a 'masterclass in doing EV utes wrong?'; a new electric hearse hits the streets, while electric cremation is an option in Canterbury for those who want to continue the trend at the end; how China is saving lives by electrifying; the digital museum of plugs and sockets; and the Fossilvision song contest sets the world on fire.
Read moreDownloadDom talks with Mike Casey, software developer, cherry orchardist, electrification advocate and CEO of Rewiring Aotearoa, about the government's review into NZ's solar installation rules, his role in advising Regulation Minister David Seymour about the difficulty facing Kiwis wanting to adopt to solar power and why he's received some negative online attention about the initiative.
