The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
Compared to most of our MPs, Scott Willis is a very early adopter. As the latest episode of our 'Political Power' series shows, the Green MP's home in Waitati has had solar panels on the roof since 2013 and he bought a Nissan Leaf in 2016. He runs a full suite of electric gardening gear - which can often be a powerful gateway drug after people see how well they perform - and recently upgraded to a BYD Atto3 with a 60kwH battery.
He has a wood stove that helps with cooking and heats the water, as well as a gas cooktop, but that is nearing the end of its life and, as he says, "I am looking forward to it breaking down; I'm looking forward to the induction stove that will fit in that space".
Willis ran the peer-to-peer Blueskin Energy Network for several years and it provided signals to users on how clean or dirty their energy was so they could adapt their behaviour accordingly. Increasingly, we're seeing economic signals being offered to customers to either reduce their use, or contribute to the system with solar, batteries and, in the future, EVs. That's the kind of 21st Century approach he thinks we need to take.
"If you want a slogan, it's 'Think Distributed', not 'Think Big' ... We all have energy assets at home. We have hot water systems, we have heating systems, we have transport, we've got cooking facilities. All of those assets can be used much more intelligently and, at the moment, most of that value is lost because it's not able to be incorporated into our wider energy system."
'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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