The case for energy loans: read our latest explainer
On The Detail podcast, Sharon Brettkelly talks to Consumer's Paul Fuge about dwindling gas reserves, rising prices and why relying on new gas discoveries is a mug's game.
"It costs more to have gas than electricity so an electricity-only house is much cheaper to run than a gas-electricity house because you can substitute all your gas appliances for electric appliances ... but you can't run a TV on gas or your lights on gas," Fuge says.
That means gas customers have to have an electricity connection, which means double the costs of the infrastructure - gas pipes and electricity lines - needed to deliver the energy to people's homes.
Gas customers are also locked out of cheaper electricity plans because most gas suppliers also demand that customers take their electricity. The companies that provide cheap electricity don't provide gas, Fuge says.
Add to that the phasing out of low electricity charges for low users, which was a benefit for gas customers.
"What that means is people's electricity connections for the low users are getting more expensive every year over five years and that disadvantages gas customers," he says.
Rewiring Aotearoa is in favour of universal Road User Charges as we believe it will address an artificial market distortion for vehicles that is not in New Zealand’s economic, fuel security, or resilience interests. Here's what we told the Select Committee.
Read moreDownloadThe story of Uruguay's renewable push and why it's relevant here; EVs reach a tipping point in the EU, but they're growing in developing nations, too; Tauranga Crossing and Endless Energy go vertical with a new solar install; new research shows panels keep on trucking far past their warranty periods; and if you need a hand getting out on the waves, how about getting your own electric towing machine.
Read moreDownloadOur Political Power series aims to show that going electric is good for everyone, no matter where you sit on the political sprectrum. Whether you're looking to lower costs, reduce emissions or increase resilience, it increasingly makes sense at an individual, community and country level and ACT's Todd Stephenson, who bought an electric Jeep around one year ago and built his new home in Queenstown to run on electrons, is a good example of that.
Read moreDownload