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🔥➡️⚡"There's no real debate; that's sort of past. The end game is to replace molecules with electrons. You want to replace petrol, diesel, gas, LPG with electrons, which we can produce domestically. But transition is a word people really get wrong a lot of the time. Transition is exactly that. It involves a period of time when you move on, ideally on a planned basis, from where you are to where you want to be."
In the latest Listener, consultant John Kidd summed it up well in an indepth feature about New Zealand's gas situation: 'Out of gas and ideas? With gas supplies drying up, govt bets on chance instead of transition help (paywalled)'.
We completely agree with his summary and we would love to see New Zealand transition into the world's most electric economy. Electrification is the biggest productivity opportunity we have and there are billions of dollars waiting to be saved by upgrading our fossil fuel machines. The Government could be pushing much harder to unlock that opportunity and the opposition parties should be thinking hard about what they can do in this space to gain support from voters ahead of next year's election.
As the story details, gas prices are up, supplies are down, and options to switch retailers are increasingly limited. Not all gas users have electric options, especially at the bigger end of town, but many do and the technology is advancing rapidly. But one thing we are unequivocal about is that our homes should definitely not be using up the gas we have left. It is expensive (and most expensive in bottled form), it is likely to get more expensive, it is inefficient, and, when burned inside, it's dangerous.
We looked closely how we use gas now and what we can replace it with in a recent explainer. Check it out here.
As gas supplies decline and prices rise, electrification is the best bet, but it's hard for big businesses without government support. Kirsty Johnston talks to Rainbow Nurseries about how it made the switch with help from a grant, and others who are unsure they will be able to keep getting gas. As one busines owner said: "We never considered the risk to the business of not actually having natural gas," one participant said. "We always expect that the price could fluctuate… But we never anticipated maybe having no gas coming from the pipeline." There are ways for the Government to help. And there is a huge amount of new renewable electricity coming on stream, so there won't be a shortage of electrons.
Read moreDownloadMarc Daalder reports on Vector's declining gas network and how it is responding to falling customer numbers. As he writes: "Gas in Auckland is formally past its peak in the latest forecasts from Vector, the city’s only gas distribution business, with new connections set to fall to zero in three years ... From 2029, there would be no new residential or commercial connections – with new industrial connections projected to have already ceased this year."
Read moreDownload'I'm a bogan and I have no problem with the bastardisation of motor vehicles. You can stick whatever motor you like into whatever else you like.' Antz Davies, you are a true boganic Bright Spark and we salute you because it's the bogans that we need to be convincing! Davies is the main brain behind Watt Rods, a Lower Hutt company that converts old cars to electric. "Any and all vehicles, old or new, four wheels or two, big or small, on road or off, fully customised to your requirements."
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