The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
Who's down with LNG? Certainly not us. And most of the experts aren't, either. That's why we’ve signed a letter alongside a number of other organisations asking the Auditor-General to launch an inquiry into the plan and the process.
Energy Minister Simeon Brown was on Q+A over the weekend and he told Jack Tame that the LNG terminal was still going ahead, but he was using technical talking points based on LNG advice from a year ago.
Since then, much better analysis has been done, but none of it appears to have been taken onboard and we're now in danger of getting a very expensive white elephant that very people seem to want and many experts think we don't need.
Concept Consulting's latest analysis shows that the benefits of the terminal basically equal the cost. And that's if things go as planned. So what's the point? There is a lot of potential downside risk, however, whether build cost blow-outs or LNG prices staying high for an extended period.
Don't forget the lost opportunity to invest in lower cost long term dry year cover, chief among them accelerating the renewable roll out.
Regardless of how the Government frames it, passing the cost of the LNG terminal to the electricity sector also means costs will end up on customer bills and, at a time when it should be doing everything it can to reduce those bills, this could actually increase them.
The context has changed considerably since 2024 when we went through a dry year and, in the eyes of the experts, the Government is placing what looks to be a pretty bad bet.
See RNZ's coverage here ⚡ https://loom.ly/qi1OUs8
'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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