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A finance scheme that would let homeowners spread the cost of rates and capital costs like solar panels over up to 30 years, could be in place by early next year.
The work is being led by Local Government New Zealand - which with several councils and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority - is working on putting into place towards the end of the year a Ratepayer Assistance Scheme.
The scheme would be funded by central and local government support and offer loans at lower interest rates than commercial banks.
While at the same time it would be kept off council balance sheets to protect debt limits, while still allowing more housing growth as development levies could also be financed.
The project has also been supported by electrification advocates Rewiring Aotearoa for finance to cover conversions to electric appliances and household renewable energy - such as solar panels.
Scott Necklen is chief executive at LGNZ and is leading this work.
A very cool 'floatovoltaics' project makes use of unproductive pond space and also helps those struggling with their energy bills; renewables push down the price of electricity to nothing (or less than nothing) in Scandinavia and South Australia and New Zealand has an opportunity to follow suit; France goes hard on electrification, while the UK builds better; Aussie truckies reckon electrification will take decades but much bigger electric machines are here now, including some from Volvo; hydrogen generators are an innovation we do not need; the Speight's brewery gets off the gas with a $7.2 million electric boiler; and a bit of 'solarcasm' demonstrates how going off-grid is now an option for some.
Read moreDownloadA big part of our New Zealand-made energy plan is helping gas users get off the pipes and onto the electrons. Now Business NZ has added its voice to the debate, suggesting that the $200 million set aside to help the oil and gas industry is instead used as loans to help businesses electrify. The rare call for support came after it released a report showing that the businesses reliant on gas were struggling with increasing prices and their closure would have a massive impact on jobs and the economy.
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