The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
Now there's a story we'll be cutting out and putting on the fridge! As The Post reports, misgivings from Act and NZ First about the proposed LNG import terminal mean a contract won't be signed before the election.
To its credit, the Government has recognised that the risk is too high to sign it now without the enabling legislation. Hopefully it has also recognised that things have changed markedly since LNG was proposed as a solution to the dry year problem (and, if they're being honest, a solution to the shortage of domestic gas for industrial users).
The war in the Middle East has seen LNG prices spike, the renewables roll out is continuing at pace, and the closure of Methanex has meant there is now more gas available for electricity in the short-term, something energy minister Simeon Brown and others have said may provide some relief.
Over the weekend, we launched a campaign focused on ditching LNG and backing New Zealand-made energy, and there has been a lot of work done by many others to show that the LNG import terminal was expensive and unnecessary. To them we raise a toast.
We will take this short-term reprieve as a win - and we hope that sense will prevail and a contract will never be signed. But we could still lose if we don't have a plan to get our big businesses off gas.
LNG is clearly not a hill some of our politicians want to die on. And now that it is off the table, it's time to direct some of that resource to electrifying industry, as well as our homes, farms and businesses.
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'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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