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On Nine to Noon, Kathryn Ryan looked at the growing issue of homes with piped or bottled gas facing increasing prices and fewer choices, "as complaints about services doubled in the last year. And it's not just households."
Consumer NZ's Paul Fuge spoke about the 'gas death spiral', where the prices for those who are stuck on the network continue to increase as other leave, and unnecessarily high fees for disconnections, while Gas NZ chief executive Jeffrey Clarke said there "is still a future for gas as a fuel out to 2050 and beyond".
We do need gas for some sectors and for some electricity generation, but gas in homes (and most businesses) is dumb, in large part because there is already a cheaper alternative - electric machines run with renewable electricity.
If history is any guide, the price of gas is likely to continue rising much faster than the rate of inflation.
We are already seeing schools, councils and other businesses like vegetable growers that rely on gas feeling the effects of massive price rises and limited choice. So don't get trapped in the spiral.
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.
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