The case for energy loans: read our latest explainer
RNZ's Susan Edmunds reports on the Energy Competition Taskforce proposals and says the changes "should lead to New Zealanders with solar power systems on their houses get more of a return for any power they put back into the system". As Electricity Authority chair Anna Kominik says: "New Zealand's electricity market currently relies on a few big generators to supply electricity at select locations and transmit it to households and businesses across the country. But as uptake of solar and battery systems continues to increase, more consumers will be able to contribute to our electricity system. And as smart electronics and vehicles become more ubiquitous, consumers will also be able to more actively manage their own energy use and costs. We're proposing three changes to help support this consumer empowerment and decentralisation of our energy system. Over time, this will increase community resilience and lower power costs for everyone," she said.
Read moreDownload the document hereA better electric building at Parliament and an innovative heating system in affordable Arrowtown housing development Tewa Banks; more Australian envy as Queensland landlords incentivised to put on solar to reduce bills for tenants; first Auckland, then Ireland, and now Vessev heads to Taupō; Octopus gives us a reminder that gas in homes is dumb and hydrogen is even dumber; and Alex Honnold's mission to give impoverished communities access to cheap solar energy.
Read moreDownloadWhether you're looking for an electric fruit picker, a farm workhorse, a high-end golf cart, a food and beverage hauler, a mobility scooter or a fold-up e-bike, Barry Hillyer could be the man you need to talk to. The E-motors showroom in Queenstown is home to an impressive collection of smaller electric machines and, while the big electric stuff like diggers and loaders creates plenty of attention, the small end of town is where the rubber is hitting the road in many other markets, where a lot of the innovation is happening and where the options are increasingly making economic sense.
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