Read Our New 2025 Policy Manifesto
Rewiring Aotearoa believes we need to make better use of our existing infrastrucuture, see customers as an essential part of a 21st Century energy system and that electrification will lead to much greater energy security and resilience.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on Te Waihanga’s Testing our Thinking: Developing an enduring National Infrastructure Plan. We support this consultation as there is significant value in crowdsourcing ideas to help shape the plan and build a solid evidence base. We see our role as representing customers within the energy and infrastructure system, while also addressing the engineering and business model challenges on both sides.
To support our submission, this section provides an overview of some key insights from our work to date in this area.
Maximise the use of existing infrastructure
As mentioned in the discussion document, Aotearoa NZ is already investing heavily in infrastructure, with approximately $287bn worth of assets, yet this expenditure has not always translated into the desired outcomes to date. The challenge lies in transforming this investment into robust, efficient, and effective infrastructure. This translation challenge reveals an underlying efficiency problem at multiple levels. To address this, maximising the potential of existing infrastructure assets must become a top priority for the NIP.
By improving the efficiency and extending the lifespan of current systems and assets, we can realise significant cost savings, environmental and economic benefits without resorting to new, slow, resource-intensive projects.
We know that electrification is key to improving efficiency, resilience and sustainability across Aotearoa NZ’s infrastructure. By transitioning to electric-powered systems in transport, industry, and energy generation, we can lower operational costs, strengthen resilience, reduce emissions, and enhance the performance of existing assets.
A key part of unlocking this potential is to recognise the role that homes, farms and businesses can play in being a valuable (and valued) part of our energy infrastructure. These existing assets (Customer Energy Resources, ‘CERs’) are an untapped resource within our energy system. Recognising homes, farms and businesses as potential energy infrastructure not only avoids unnecessary capital expenditure but also accelerates progress toward meeting climate commitments. Instead of building new infrastructure, we should prioritise optimising and electrifying what we already have, ensuring long-term value and greater efficiency for a sustainable future. This must be recognised in the NIP.
Don’t overlook the potential of demand-side solutions
To reiterate on the above, we want to stress the significant potential that demand-side solutions can provide - today, not tomorrow. The emissions reduction potential of doing so is substantial (see Figure 1 below) and, importantly, can be achieved quickly, cost-effectively, and with existing technology – unlike many other sectors. Our research also highlights that widespread electrification offers multiple benefits, including cost savings, enhanced resilience, and improved public health across the economy.
Figure 1: Domestic emissions sankey
An electricity system with more solar and batteries on the demand side, is likely to be lower cost and substantially more resilient. Looking at the adoption rates of solar and batteries world-wide, it could be argued that homes, businesses and farms installing rooftop solar en masse is only a matter of time. Aotearoa NZ has already crossed the tipping point for electrification - meaning that the cost of buying and financing electric machines is cheaper over the long run than using fossil fuels. The system should be built to harness this shift, making the most of CERs rather than limiting their potential (through current outdated regulations and poor market incentives) to ensure a more efficient, sustainable, and resilient energy future.
Further, from a cost perspective, if a significant proportion of homes, farms, and businesses invest in solar and battery systems, consumers could collectively spend between $50 billion and $100 billion over the next decade on energy infrastructure. This investment, driven by their own economic and security interests, would not only benefit individual users but the entire energy system. By expanding renewable generation, increasing network utilisation, and providing the largest peak demand reduction resource in the country, CER would help to lower overall system costs. This increased efficiency would lead to better utilisation of the existing network, meaning less need for expensive upgrades and overall lower electricity costs.
This shift to distributed energy would reduce strain on the national grid, lower energy bills, and reduce emissions. The key question is whether our infrastructure planning (and the NIP) will recognise (and reward) this opportunity. Failing to account for the cost-saving potential of CER would result in higher energy costs and unnecessary investment in new infrastructure, ultimately driving up bills for all New Zealanders. By embracing CER, we can lower system costs for everyone, while building a more secure, resilient and efficient energy system
Energy security and resilience
Energy security and resilience should be better recognised as key priorities in the NIP.
To address climate and energy transition challenges, the plan must focus more on localised energy generation and reducing reliance on vulnerable centralised grids. By supporting CER in homes, farms, and businesses, energy resilience and security can be enhanced. A key benefit of CER lies in the significant boost it would provide to the resilience and security of our energy system. The widespread adoption of CER, alongside implementation of the necessary system and regulatory changes, as explored in this consultation, can strengthen Aotearoa NZ’s energy resilience. The NIP should ensure that local energy solutions are supported by the right infrastructure and regulatory frameworks, building a more resilient and sustainable energy system for the future.
For rural communities, especially, this represents a potential to transform farms int self-sufficient ‘power plants’. As highlighted in our Electric Homes and Electric Farms reports, generating and storing electricity at the household, farm and business levels provides significant local economic and environmental advantages. But moreover, it also offers protection against price fluctuations and resilience to supply disruptions by reducing dependence on grid supply.
For example, farms that generate and store their own electricity are more resilient to grid blackouts, and when they electrify their machines they are not affected by disruptions to fossil fuel supply chains, natural hazards, and price volatility in global oil markets (regarding vehicles and generators). Distributed generation on farms can act as local back up supply in events where lines go down. Electric farms can continue production in spite of disruptions, avoiding the lost income which compounds the economic effects of climate-related shocks. This buffers and builds resilience in our regional communities. While different contexts, the same largely holds true for homes and small businesses as well.
Embedding foresight in decision making
Any analysis of Aotearoa NZ’s energy infrastructure future must recognise the inevitability of widespread solar and battery adoption behind the meter. As the technology costs continue to decrease, homes, farms, and businesses will increasingly invest in rooftop solar and battery systems because they offer the lowest electricity costs. This shift will happen regardless of what the industry considers the most capital-efficient pathway for large-scale infrastructure. Solar energy will collectively contribute to large-scale generation, while batteries provide highly distributed, firm energy during peak demand. As a result, homes, farms, and businesses are becoming key components of the nation's energy infrastructure even as industry stakeholders and regulators work to adapt to this shift.
Embedding foresight into relevant decision-making is critical to ensuring that our energy system is shaped in a way that supports this transformation. Anticipating the increase in local energy production and integrating this into long-term planning will help support a successful transition through avoiding missed opportunities and inefficiencies. Proactively updating regulatory frameworks, network infrastructure, and market models to accommodate CER is essential for creating the type of energy future that New Zealanders want and deserve. We were excited to input into the recent MfE & DPMC Long Term Insights Briefing Submission on Building resilience to Hazards for this very reason, and refer you to this work if you are interested in understanding more about the role that electrification can play in building long term resilience in Aotearoa NZ.
Small decisions can have a large impact
The current focus on macroeconomic indicators like GDP and inflation to guide investments often overlooks the cost-effective potential of micro-level (‘dinner table’) decisions – such as household, farm, and business electrification – to address infrastructure challenges. Prioritising these decisions, with targeted government support, can drive a broader shift in infrastructure. As electrification uptake increases, the overall system will become more efficient and sustainable.
The occurrence of positive tipping points is empirically observable, especially in renewable energy and electrification technology. This is driven by the "learning curve" effect, where widespread adoption of technologies like CER reduces costs through economies of scale and innovation. For instance, electricity from solar PV was 710% more expensive than the cheapest fossil fuel-fired option, but by 2022 it was 29% less expensive against the same benchmark. In Aotearoa NZ, policies supporting electrification can further reduce costs and improve infrastructure competitiveness. By focusing on these micro-level actions, we can create a self-reinforcing cycle that addresses infrastructure challenges and delivers macroeconomic benefits.
Section one: Why we need a National Infrastructure Plan
1. What are the most critical infrastructure challenges that the National Infrastructure Plan needs to address over the next 30 years?
The NIP must address both short- and long-term infrastructure challenges to meet immediate needs while supporting future innovation and building resilience. Over the next 30 years, political, economic, social, and environmental shifts will shape our infrastructure. Absolutely central to this will be energy infrastructure, and how it enables energy sovereignty and security in Aotearoa NZ. Urgent short-term interventions are needed to shape the pathway for this. However, we also need to consider timeframes beyond 2050, when international climate targets must be met.
In addition to the key insights mentioned in Part 1 of this submission, below we provide some more specific infrastructure challenges that we think are crucial to consider.
Resilience to physical climate risks and natural hazards
Aotearoa NZ’s hazardscape consists of earthquakes, landslides, storms and floods, tsunami and volcanic risk, and climate change is exacerbating many of these hazards. Rising sea levels, along with more frequent and severe extreme weather events (and the above hazards), threatens a wide range of infrastructure across the country. Coastal areas, in particular, face increased risks to critical infrastructure such as roads, ports, and housing, with the potential for flooding and erosion. At the same time, increasingly severe storms, heavy rainfall, and cyclones will disrupt transport networks, power grids, water systems, and communications. Rural and remote regions are also vulnerable to these impacts, with vulnerable agricultural infrastructure and potential flow on supply chain issues.
Physical climate risks highlight the urgent need for robust, climate-resilient infrastructure that can adapt to a rapidly changing environment. Building resilience to hazards is critical and urgent for shaping our country’s future in an increasingly complex and uncertain climate. And Aotearoa NZ’s unique natural environment presents many opportunities to build resilience across our infrastructure and systems. In particular, energy infrastructure faces significant challenges from climate-related disruptions all of which can impact the reliability and security of energy supply. Strengthening energy systems to withstand these impacts is crucial to maintaining both energy security and the transition to a low emissions economy.
Critical infrastructure
Aging and vulnerable critical infrastructure requires significant investment to maintain, upgrade, or replace. In recent years, we’ve seen failures in critical infrastructure not only from worsening natural disasters and climate risks, but also from age. The cost of further neglecting these issues is high, with the potential for widespread service interruptions, economic losses, and increased costs of repair. In the face of these vulnerabilities, the NIP must prioritise ensuring that critical infrastructure is resilient, efficient, and fit for purpose to handle the challenges of the future.
A 2019 LGNZ study estimated that $8 billion of local government infrastructure is exposed to a 1.5m sea level rise. This includes $4 billion in three waters, $1 billion in roading, $1.2 billion in buildings, and $1.8 billion in other infrastructure. Beyond physical damage, these risks also threaten economic development, community health, safety, and social support systems. This only reinforces the fact that as Aotearoa NZ’s population and the effects of climate change increase, so too do the consequences of infrastructure failure.
Decarbonisation
Decarbonisation is one of the most pressing infrastructure challenges Aotearoa NZ faces over the next 30 years. Achieving our climate commitments will require transforming key infrastructure sectors by decarbonising energy systems, electrifying transport networks, and reducing emissions from industrial and construction infrastructure. This transition presents a dual challenge: not only emissions reduction, but also ensuring that infrastructure can support this shift at scale. Upgrading grids for renewable energy, electrifying the transport sector, and redesigning industrial infrastructure are essential steps. Electrification is not a cost, but an investment in long-term economic resilience – lower energy costs, increased household disposable income, improved public health, and resilience to climate impacts.
To drive this transformation, future-focused economic analysis is crucial. Delaying the shift from fossil fuels will worsen negative pressures. The NIP must prioritise balancing short-term costs with long-term benefits and focus on decarbonisation.
Capability and capacity shortages
The NIP should also aim to address skills and investment shortages in training and education for the trades, engineering, and technology sectors. Our research has shown that it would be helpful to better understand the systemic constraints that inhibit uptake of small-scale renewable energy generation and electrification of households, farms and businesses. For example, our work on upstream conditions relating to electrification uptake identified a green skills shortage associated with residential solar installation; a knowledge gap and lack of clear information around household electrification; and the critical role of finance in enabling uptake of solar technology to build household, farm and business level energy resilience.
Drawing a thread between the green labour market, energy security in communities (especially post-disaster), and adaptation of energy infrastructure in the context of natural hazards is much needed work in Aotearoa NZ. As part of this, exploring market incentives, regulatory enablers and policy direction for recognising the benefits of electrification is nascent thinking that this NIP is well placed to contribute towards.
Regional disparities
Finally, also of concern is the growing gap in infrastructure quality between urban and rural areas. The NIP needs to prioritise equitable distribution of infrastructure upgrades to areas that need them most, ensuring that our rural and remote communities don’t get pushed to the wayside.
2. How can te ao Māori perspectives and principles be used to strengthen the National Infrastructure Plan's approach to long-term infrastructure planning?
Te ao Māori perspectives and principles must be at the centre of the NIPs approach to long-term infrastructure planning. By working closely with Treaty Partners to ensure that any such development is sustainable, inclusive, and culturally aligned with the needs and values of Māori communities, long term infrastructure planning will be greatly improved for Aotearoa NZ. The Principles of Te Tiriti are key to this and we advocate for early and sustained engagement with Māori on any long-term infrastructure planning.
Through embedding kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and rangatiratanga (through meaningful engagement processes with Māori) the plan can not only reflect te ao Māori values and priorities, but also create infrastructure that represents and benefits all New Zealanders, respects the environment, and promotes social equity for future generations.
There are also opportunities to build on and scale existing leadership from marae and papakainga in the area of electrification. For example, the work that has been led out of Martinborough’s Hau Ariki Marae to install 68 solar panels and a battery system (generating 30kw) to build energy resilience in the area. This work was funded by an MBIE grant and the application was supported by the South Wairarapa District Council. Greater funding and capacity support for planning from local and central government for these projects can support greater opportunities for regional innovation and for Māori to play a leadership role.
Section two: Long-term expectations
3. What are the main sources of uncertainty in infrastructure planning, and how could they be addressed when considering new capital investments?
We welcome the focus on uncertainty in this consultation. We subsequently propose that the environmental law principle of applying a precautionary approach be applied in conditions where there is significant uncertainty in making a decision, especially with any risk of lock-in and path dependency. For example, a precautionary approach to investment in infrastructure that is likely to lock in emissions would mean applying a ‘better safe than sorry’ lens to planning decisions.
In our opinion, the main sources of uncertainty in infrastructure planning include;
To address these uncertainties, consider integrating long-term strategies, scenarios analysis, risk management approaches into the plan and foster collaboration between relevant stakeholders to ensure adaptability and resilience in new capital investments.
Section three: Existing investment intentions
4. How can the National Infrastructure Pipeline be used to better support infrastructure planning and delivery across New Zealand?
As previously mentioned, Aotearoa NZ’s main infrastructure challenge lies in transforming investment into robust, efficient, and effective infrastructure. In the case of energy infrastructure (in the context of our wider climate and cost of living policy goals) this is critical and urgent. This translation challenge reveals an underlying efficiency problem at multiple levels. To address this, maximising the potential of existing infrastructure assets must become a top priority for the NIP. By improving the efficiency and extending the lifespan of current systems and assets, we can realise significant cost savings, environmental and economic benefits without resorting to new, slow, resource-intensive projects.
We know that electrification is key to improving efficiency, resilience and sustainability across Aotearoa NZ’s infrastructure. By transitioning to electric-powered systems in transport, industry, and energy generation, we can lower operational costs, strengthen resilience, reduce emissions, and enhance the performance of existing assets.
A key part of unlocking this potential is to recognise the role that homes, farms and businesses can play in being a valuable (and valued) part of our energy infrastructure. Existing and future CER assets are an untapped resource within our energy system. Recognising homes, farms and businesses as potential energy infrastructure not only avoids unnecessary capital expenditure but also accelerates progress toward meeting climate commitments. Instead of building new infrastructure, we should prioritise optimising and electrifying what we already have, ensuring long-term value and greater efficiency for a sustainable future. CER must be explicitly recognised in the NIP to support this rethinking of energy infrastructure as something much wider than our traditional understanding of energy assets.
Section four: Changing the approach
5. Are we focusing on the right problems, and are there others we should consider?
As per our response to Section three (Question 4), we believe that Aotearoa NZ needs a reframe of what is considered valued (and valuable) energy infrastructure.
Investment management: Stability, consistency and future focus
6. What changes would enable better infrastructure investment decisions by central and local governments?
To reiterate points made throughout this submission, we believe the following high level areas should be addressed throughout the NIP:
By addressing these areas, infrastructure investment decisions can be improved, ensuring that they are more strategic, resilient, and aligned with long-term sustainability goals.
7. How should we think about balancing competing investment needs when there is not enough money to build everything?
Balancing competing infrastructure needs, especially with limited resources, requires a strategic, foresight-driven approach. It requires thinking creatively about our existing assets and how these can be activated within the economy to deliver on policy priorities. But this challenge also requires acknowledgement that a certain level of investment is needed to drive growth.
A priority matrix (both for central and local government) can guide decision-making for investment by categorising projects based on impact and urgency. For example, high-impact, high-urgency projects like upgrading transport networks, improving water systems, or enhancing energy resilience in rural areas are likely to need prioritisation given their current state and vulnerabilities. Expanding renewable energy and electrifying sectors should be integrated into infrastructure planning alongside immediate priorities, as doing so will help reduce costs for both government and consumers. It will also contribute to a more distributed energy system, enhancing infrastructure resilience and reducing vulnerability to disruptions (as well as provide other benefits aforementioned).
It's important to recognise that infrastructure needs vary by community. For example, urban areas may prioritise upgrades to existing systems, such as transport networks or energy grids, while rural areas may focus on improving access to basic services like electricity or water, or developing off-grid solutions. Tailoring investments to specific community needs ensures a more effective and equitable approach to infrastructure development. This requires not only a tailored investment strategy that balances immediate priorities with long-term sustainability but also greater devolution to local government, enabling more locally driven decision-making and solutions that reflect regional contexts and priorities.
Workforce and project leadership: Building capability is essential
8. How can we improve leadership in public infrastructure projects to make sure they’re well planned and delivered? What’s stopping us from doing this?
When we talk about public infrastructure projects, we imagine large-scale, long- term infrastructure investments. And certainly, these are critical to get Aotearoa NZ’s economy moving, and there is a need for strong leadership to deliver on these. But there is also a more devolved, decentralised leadership that is emerging in energy infrastructure developments - the electric revolution. Farms, businesses, and households have a key role to play in investing, building, and maintaining energy assets that can contribute to energy resilience and sovereignty in Aotearoa NZ’s energy system. These should also be considered public infrastructure projects - and we should also be asking what capabilities are needed to ensure these are well planned and delivered, rather than ad hoc.
This means we not only need greater centralised leadership capabilities, but we need to be polycentric in our approach - enhancing regional capacity and workforce capabilities to deliver on the electric infrastructure we need across Aotearoa NZ.
What currently stops us from investing in these capabilities is a lack of recognition that household, farm and business assets can contribute to energy infrastructure in Aotearoa NZ. With this recognition, we might see greater financial support for uptake of these measures, better energy system rewards for individuals or businesses exporting energy back to the grid, and greater investment into regional skills and taskforce capabilities for solar installation. We spoke more about our work in this area in Part 2: Capability and capacity shortages.
9. How can we build a more capable and diverse infrastructure workforce that draws on all of New Zealand’s talent?
Please refer to above and Part 2: Capability and capacity shortages.
Project costs: Escalation means less infrastructure services
10. What approaches could be used to get better value from our infrastructure dollar? What’s stopping us from doing this?
Please refer to our answers to Questions 3, 4, 6 and 8, as well as Part 1: Key Insights
Asset management: Managing what we already have is the biggest task
11. What strategies would encourage a better long-term view of asset management and how could asset management planning be improved? What’s stopping us from doing this?
With battery prices continuing to decrease and electricity rates expected to keep rising - as they have historically with inflation - solar energy is poised to become even more cost-effective over time (more detail is available in our recent Investing in Tomorrow report). Demand-side generation and storage therefore represents the quickest and most affordable methods for increasing renewable energy and reducing emissions. In many cases, the cost of financing a solar and battery system has already fallen below the average price of grid electricity for homes. However, existing energy pathways and industry scenarios have significantly underestimated the potential advantages of this kind of widespread distributed electrification. We recently discussed this in the Delivered Cost of Energy 2024 paper.
This creates strategic opportunities (to be actioned in the NIP) to manage energy assets in a more distributed way, where Aotearoa NZ's homes, businesses, and farms are recognised to play a central role in the solution. The current focus on large-scale infrastructure limits our ability to effectively manage energy assets and fully realise the potential of a more flexible, community-driven energy system. See discussion in Part 1: Key Insights for more information.
Resilience: Preparing for greater disruption
12. How can we improve the way we understand and manage risks to infrastructure? What’s stopping us from doing this?
Electrification is not only about reducing emissions, but also about adapting infrastructure to changing risks. Understanding how to protect and adapt key energy systems from natural hazards will be essential for ensuring their long-term resilience.
Distributed grid infrastructure through energy-sovereign homes, businesses and farms that rely on their own electricity assets is one way to reduce vulnerabilities in our energy system. Improving our understanding of what is classed as energy infrastructure helps us consider a more decentralised energy system that is more resilient to shocks and disruptions.
Investment into community solar (as an energy resilience measure) can provide support during crises and help reduce pressure on emergency services in the aftermath of a severe weather event. Installing solar in existing community hubs like marae and kura kaupapa is an opportunity to build community energy resilience and support a distributed, empowered disaster response.
For example, during Cyclone Gabrielle, several stories emerged from Hawke’s Bay of households with solar panels and battery storage that were able to maintain electricity and stay resilient to the impacts of the storm. Many of these homes also opened their doors to neighbours, providing support and helping to strengthen community resilience in the aftermath of the disaster. These examples demonstrate how solar and battery systems can play a crucial role in ensuring energy security during extreme weather events.
Decarbonisation: A different kind of challenge
13. How can we lower carbon emissions from providing and using infrastructure? What’s stopping us from doing this?
Please refer to Part 1: Key Insights, where we highlight the potential of households, businesses and farm energy assets contributing towards emissions reduction in Aotearoa NZ.
Institutions: Setting the rules of the game
14. Are any changes needed to our infrastructure institutions and systems and, if so, what would make the biggest difference?
Please refer to Part 1: Key Insights and other relevant responses in Part 2: Answers to consultation questions where we highlight the potential of households, businesses and farm energy assets (and required regulatory shifts) in contributing towards better infrastructure outcomes in Aotearoa NZ.
Network pricing: How we price infrastructure services impacts what we think we need
15. How can best practice network pricing be used to provide better infrastructure outcomes?
We have decided not to answer this question.
Regulation: Charting a more enabling path
16. What regulatory settings need to change to enable better infrastructure outcomes?
To enable better infrastructure outcomes, regulatory frameworks and incentives must be reevaluated to support more efficient, flexible, and cost-effective solutions. And as such, recognise CER as a key part of the solution and as essential components of Aotearoa NZ’s energy future. In addition to the points we have raised in general insights (see Part 1) and high level focus areas (see our answer to Question 6), we recommend the following measures to improve network management and support better integration of CER specifically:
Regulatory alignment and industry-wide compliance will be essential for better infrastructure outcomes generally. Regulations governing CER for homes, farms, and businesses should have been updated by now. Although early systems have been in place for over a decade, and 30,000 new installations have been completed in just the past three years, outdated regulations continue to hold back progress. These regulations remain burdened by unnecessary red tape and a supply-side bias that tends to downplay the value of demand-side generation.
Energy system governance – regulators and policymakers – must not only recognise the inevitability of this shift, but also strategically harness the potential of CER to optimise the broader energy system. By doing so, they can reduce the need for costly investments in distribution and transmission infrastructure, while creating a more resilient and secure energy network. Unnecessarily expanding distribution and transmission infrastructure likely to be the largest driver of rising consumer bills in the coming decade. Avoiding this costly build-out should therefore be a central focus, as it represents the most effective way to keep energy bills affordable for New Zealanders in the future.
What happens next?
17. Do you have any additional comments or suggestions that you would like us to consider as we develop the National Infrastructure Plan?
No.
With a classic Kiwi combination of pride and self-doubt, we charge our glasses after another big week of electric momentum; Auckland gets a glimpse of its first electric ferry from EV Maritime; Whakatane finds a clever way to get past the upfront costs and start running on the sun; a big study shows how pervasive EV myths have become even though they are "demonstrably false"; and our misperceptions continue when it comes to fires at battery energy storage systems.
Read moreDownloadMore good news for New Zealanders looking to reduce their energy bills and the country's emissions, with Ministers Simon Watts and Chris Penk announcing a number of incentives for residential solar that Rewiring Aotearoa had been advocating for.
Read moreDownloadBlayne Slabbert from The Press examines why the "conditions are ideal" for farmers thinking about adding solar, with install prices dropping, rising grid electricity prices and cheap finance and Government support now available. As Mike Casey says: “Usually people build a system to save money and quickly realise there’s an opportunity to make money."
Read moreDownloadThere's money on the table for farmers that embrace solar. And with new announcements from the Government, Farmlands and ASB, there's never been a better time to embrace the sun. Solayer's Becks Smith and Farmlands Flex CEO Andrew Pegler joined Kathryn Ryan on Nine to Noon to talk about the growing interest in rural solar and storage and, as Pegler said: "I don't think it's an early adopter thing anymore. I think farmers are ready. They were just looking for someone to bring a solution that they trusted, somewhere they could ask questions and not feel like they're asking a silly question, so the response has been amazing."
In our policy manifesto, the number one thing we're hoping to get across the line is a scheme that gives everyone access to low-interest long-term loans for electrification upgrades. We believe the best way to do that is through the proposed Ratepayer Assistance Scheme and The Post's Harriet Laughton has looked at that scheme and what that might mean. Several large councils are already backing it, others are being asked to support it, and Simon 'MegaWatts' Watts has also indicated he's supportive. That could mean New Zealanders would be able to get cheaper finance to install electric appliances like heat pumps for space and hot water and solar and battery systems - and they would be saving money on their energy bills from day one.
Read moreDownloadAt Fieldays, Minister Simon 'MegaWatts' Watts has lived up to his moniker (and followed through on a number of Rewiring Aotearoa's requests) and delivered some good news for farmers looking to run on the sun.
Read moreDownloadThe Queenstown region has played a central role in New Zealand’s renewable energy history. And now it’s about to play an important role in the world’s renewable energy future.
Read moreDownload"The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority is undergoing a painful pivot, having tens of millions slashed from its operational funding over several years as the previous administration’s policies are swept away or changed," writes David Williams in Newsroom. Mike Casey, whose all-electric orchard was supported by EECA grants, weighs in on the changes and what he would like to see EECA focus on.
Read moreDownloadNewstalk ZB's Ryan Bridge talks to Mike Casey about the launch of the Queenstown Electrification Accelerator (and announces his dream of getting solar panels on Mike Hosking's roof). As he said: "We think Queenstown is possibly the best opportunity we have to start trying out things and doing the real world action we need to quickly electrify a particular place. The business community is really aligned under the carbon zero 2030 targets set by council, the council is really aligned, and there are a lot of very active community members in this space who are super excited. Queenstown pays some of the highest energy prices in New Zealand, so it's a really good place to start and there are also problems with resilience from the Alpine Fault so it's a good idea to have Queenstown generating and storing energy itself and having machines that can use that energy." Listen from 11.20.
Crux talks to Mike Casey about the launch of Rewiring Aotearoa's ambitious new Queenstown Electrification Accelerator project. "The vision is big. To make Queenstown the global capital of total electrification - buses, cars, hotels, our airport, houses - and yes, even gondolas. For the region to become the world’s most electrified destination."
Rural solar already made sense in most cases, but ASB has made it even more appealing with the launch of what could be seen as the farm equivalent of a green loan: 0% interest for five years for farm installs worth up to $150,000. Aidan Gent, general manager of ASB Rural, talked to Kerre Woodham on Newstalk ZB and explained the thinking behind the offer.
Alexia Russell from The Detail podcast talked to Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey about the Machine Count, the policy manifesto and the fact that the organisation "appears to be making headway when it comes to engaging a Government that’s disengaged on climate change", with Minister Simon Watts showing interest in low-interest, long-term electrification loans.
Whena Owen digs into some recent political ads targeting politicians in Wellington and asks Minister Simon Watts about the challenge that was laid down by Rewiring Aotearoa's 'MegaWatts' campaign. As he said: "I've had a lot of speculation about what I'm wearing under the suit."
Read moreDownload⚡🍿 One man. One manifesto. Many portfolios. His name is MegaWatts and he has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to save households thousands on their energy bills, save the country $11 billion every year, slash our emissions, keep the lights on, grow the economy, and help New Zealand lead the world.✊ Will he grasp it? Or will others step in and steal his thunder in next year’s ‘electric election'?
Read moreDownloadIn this week's collection of electric eyecatchers, Utrecht unveils a pioneering car sharing scheme that embraces vehicle-to-grid technology and bidirectional charging; a company making solar panels that blend in beautifully; a successful community energy project in Rio De Janeiro helps favela residents; China continues to dominate the global electrification race; Saul Griffith releases a new book on how to go electric; and reviewers* call the latest instalment of MegaWatts "a gripping romp, a triumph, a tour de force".
Read moreDownloadBernard Hickey welcomes back Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey to The Spinoff and Kiwibank's When the Facts Change podcast after the release of the Machine Count report. It found there are around ten million fossil fuel machines in the country and 84% of them could be cost-effectively replaced with electric equivalents.
Read moreDownloadMike Casey appeared on Michael Laws' show on The Platform last week to discuss the role of solar in our energy system, the goals of Rewiring Aotearoa, the bipartisan appeal of going electric because everyone gets what they want, and what to do with waste. As he said at the end of the interview, "if I can convince Michael Laws, I can convince anyone."
Read moreDownloadA massive week for New Zealand's electrification push with a big conference, a big manifesto and a big campaign aimed at a minister with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to do something big; Farmlands and Blackcurrent launch a new product to make it easier for farmers to invest in solar and storage; ASB compares a house run on dino juice with a house run on electricity; some sage advice from a solar expert about what to look out for; and a car that brings a new meaning to 'electricute'.
Read moreDownloadRewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey joined RNZ's Emile Donovan to discuss one of the most important ideas from our recent policy manifesto: low-interest loans that will help accelerate electrification. He talks about why it's getting support, how the scheme will work, and how renters will benefit.
Our policy manifesto is aimed at all politicians, officials and regulators, but we’re laying down a particular challenge to the current Minister of Energy, Climate and Local Government Simon Watts, or as we have named him, MegaWatts. Here's how you can help.
Read moreDownloadIf New Zealand is going to, as Sir Peter Blake almost said, make the electric boat go faster, we need all our politicians, regulators and officials onboard so we get the changes we need. There has been broad support for the manifesto and it was comforting to see the Electricity Authority come out so strongly in support of it.
Read moreDownloadNewsroom journalist Marc Daalder, who was facilitating the discussion on the first day of the Electrify Queenstown conference, reports on the Government's active consideration of one of the most critical proposals in Rewiring Aotearoa's manifesto: electrification loans (and not just for solar) for everyone.
Read moreDownloadIn the introduction to Rewiring Aotearoa's policy manifesto, CEO Mike Casey laid out a vision for New Zealand's energy future. We can fiddle around the edges of a broken system and preserve the status quo, or we can be bold, modernise it now and reap massive economic and environmental benefits. The plan is achievable and affordable. We just need the political leadership to bring it to life.
Read moreDownloadRewiring Aotearoa’s policy manifesto lays down a challenge to politicians, regulators and officials ahead of next year’s election and outlines an achievable and affordable plan to help address our cost of living, climate, productivity and energy security challenges.
Read moreDownloadEnergy has been a huge issue for the New Zealand economy in recent years, and a growing concern for everyday New Zealanders, but there wasn’t a huge focus on it in the Budget. While we see this as a missed opportunity, Minister Simon Watts, Minister Shane Jones and their Cabinet colleagues have an opportunity to make up for it before next year’s election and, next week, Rewiring Aotearoa will show them how with the launch of our policy manifesto.
Read moreDownloadMeridian cuts the ribbon on its big new battery set-up at a place that's closely connected to fossil fuels; Aussie company AUSEV gets approval to send its tweaked electric Ford utes to New Zealand; Pivotal sends its electric ultralight flying machine skyward; Phoenix explains - and expands - its solar panel recycling scheme; and Octopus Energy announces a scheme in the UK where landlords and tenants can benefit from solar.
Read moreDownloadThe IEA's EV outlook shows another big bump in global sales; research shows what to focus on if you want to promote EVs (even to the sceptics); New Zealand solar uptake has spiked but is still a long way behind other markets; the price of renewables continues to fall faster than governments predict; the company improving induction (and trying to sneak batteries into homes in appliances); and the companies recycling batteries to get the minerals we need for the electric transition (at lower cost than 'virgin' mining).
Read moreDownload'You're asking me to use more electricity even though it's getting more expensive?' As you may have gathered, we're pro-electron here at Rewiring, but it's hard to get past this perception and, over the past couple of years, stories about cost increases and supply shortages have been in the news a lot. Not surprisingly, that's affecting the attitudes of New Zealanders and a recent survey from Octopus Energy showed that 85% of respondents were just as worried or more worried about the rising price of electricity this year and 70% thought the Government wasn’t doing enough to help address these costs.
Read moreDownloadNewsroom's Marc Daalder reports on the mysterious disappearing home solar incentives proposed by climate change minister Simon Watts to then energy minister Simeon Brown, while Mike Casey explains why solar subsidies aren't necessarily needed but would help drive demand among consumers and bolster our hydro storage.
The first complete inventory of all the fossil fuel machines in New Zealand has found there are over 10 million of them and 84% could be feasibly replaced with electric machines that are available in the country today.
Read moreDownloadIt's been a big week for Rewiring Aotearoa with the launch of the Machine Count and there's plenty of electric momentum elsewhere, too, as Tasmanian company Incat launches the world's biggest electric boat, Old Blighty backs Old Brighty with a policy to put solar on all new builds, a Swiss company's mission to add solar panels to the country's railway network and a helpful (satirical) app that allows you to 'meditate through the meltdown' and 'push down the climate anxiety'.
Read moreDownload"84% of the country’s machines had mainstream electric alternatives that were cost-competitive or cheaper over their lifetimes, and already available for purchase in New Zealand. The included space heaters, water heaters and small and medium cars." EECA’s Megan Hurnard said: “Replacing outdated machines with the same inefficient models risks locking in higher running costs, poor performance, and greater exposure to fuel price volatility."
Read moreDownloadWhether you're in it for the economics or the emissions, upgrading to electric machines works - and it works particularly well in New Zealand, where we have lots of relatively cheap electricity and very expensive fossil fuels. Rewiring Aotearoa believes this transition is inevitable, primarily because it's crazy to use machines that cost more to do the same job and, increasingly, that's the case with fossil fuelled machines. Farmers and businesses are starting to grasp this, but Mike Hosking has a wee way to go. He discussed the Machine Count report on his Breakfast show. So do you agree with Mike Hosking ("Pointless. Waste of time. Nothing's changed) or Mike Casey ("We can solve climate and save everyone money")? Listen to Hosking's take on the Machine Count from 59.40.
Read moreDownloadThe Post's Alka Prasad reports on Rewiring Aotearoa's Machine Count project, which found that "Aotearoa has over 10 million fossil fuel machines - those powered by petrol, diesel, gas and other fuels - that could switch to renewable energy and save the country 7.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year. But researchers quantifying this task found electrifying major agribusiness machinery was still difficult, especially in New Zealand, and at present, prohibitively expensive."
Read moreDownloadRNZ's Eloise Gibson reports on Rewiring Aotearoa's Machine Count report, which showed that New Zealand has 10 million fossil-fuelled machines, and more than 80 percent of them could be replaced by electric alternatives. [The report] found upgrading six million of the most easily 'electrifiable' machines in the country - including cars, heaters, lawnmowers, road bikes, ovens and stoves - would save the country approximately $8 million a day, or $3.7 billion each year.
Read moreDownloadNew research from Rewiring Aotearoa has shown over three quarters of the country’s ten million fossil fuel machines could be replaced cost-effectively with electric equivalents right now.
Read moreDownloadResilience from solar and batteries comes to the fore after more severe weather events, big overseas outages and fossil fuel issues; Australia's electric election offers a glimpse at what next year might look like in New Zealand; US students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute need your help to improve their electrification dashboard; a new 'radically affordable' and 'radically personalisable' EV ute (and its unhinged ad) is launched in the US; and what needs to change so we can re-use big EV batteries in other ways.
Read moreDownloadMike Casey’s approach to sustainability is as bold and unapologetic as the message emblazoned across his work: Whakahiko te ao – Electrify everything. For Mike, sustainability isn’t a passive aspiration—it’s an active pursuit grounded in data, driven by urgency, and infused with positivity.
Read moreDownloadIt's ANZAC Day and we're showcasing the good kind of arms race as CATL one-ups BYD with its speedy new battery charging technology, big new storage systems take off in Aus, and prices continue to drop; why workplace EV charging is a good option for businesses and the grid; solar becomes transportable with an Austrian company's fold out container solution; an indepth look at Christchurch Airport's new electric firetruck; and solar enthusiasts take it a bit too far.
Read moreDownloadWe love a tipping point at Rewiring. We reached an important one last year when our Electric Home research showed that New Zealand was one of the first countries in the world where buying and running electric machines in your home was cheaper than gas and petrol equivalents. And we may have reached another one recently because residential gas connections have dropped from 291,586 in mid-December to 290,530 in mid-April.
Read moreDownloadSubstitution, not sacrifice. Lifetime savings, not upfront costs. Cheap locally-made electrons, not expensive foreign molecules. These were the main messages at Wheels at Wānaka, where around 65,000 people streamed through the gates to honour the past and get a glimpse of the electric future. TVNZ's Jared McCulloch was there to capture the action, and he stopped in to talk about Forest Lodge Orchard's electric 1990 Toyota Hilux.
Read moreDownloadTVNZ's Cushla Norman reports that "households hooked up to reticulated gas are facing average price increases of 10% to their energy bills" while some growers are facing huge price increases. In both cases, there are limited options to change suppliers and unnecessarily large disconnection fees.
Read moreDownloadPlenty of electric easter treats this week, with more electric buses heading to Dunedin and Wellington (and some more positive regional competition); a major new study shows EVs are more reliable than internal combustion cars; the Tesla Cybertruck stops in for a visit at Forest Lodge Orchard; an enterprising Aussie tests a solar solution to charge his electric ute, and all-electric housing developments coming up with new business models and offering greater resilience to storms.
Read moreDownloadOn Nine to Noon, Kathryn Ryan looked at the growing issue of homes with piped or bottled gas facing increasing prices and fewer choices, "as complaints about services doubled in the last year. And it's not just households."
Read moreDownloadIn a cross-submission, Rewiring Aotearoa has responded to a range of concerns raised by other submitters in the Energy Competition Task Force's consulation.
Read moreDownloadHow entrepreneurs like Becks Smith are stepping up to solve problems and install solar and storage on farms; new research into EVs and emissions shows it makes sense for New Zealand to keep electrifying transport (and, perhaps a bigger factor when it comes to purchasing decisions, going electric is also a clear win on the economics); electron-based news from Kia, Pebble, Kiwirail and Fulton Hogan; and can we pull off another 'Malthusian Swerve' as we rapidly use up the Earth's resources?
Read moreDownloadWe support the role that government procurement can play in benefitting every community across the motu. We agree that simplifying and streamlining the procurement process is important, and reducing rules is a logical starting point. However, this should not undermine key considerations and past efforts in ensuring government spending supports long-term positive outcomes. Government procurement can support us to go for growth by increasing productivity of energy, which is a fundamental economic input
Read moreDownloadWhanganui residents are about to be hit by increased costs for everything from pool entry to pet cremation as a result of increasing gas prices, while high prices and a shortage means homeowners using gas elsewhere around the country are about to experience the cost increases associated with a 'death spiral'.
Read moreDownload"Electric isn't just for cars, it's for farms too. That's the message from the team behind a cherry orchard in Central Otago, which started swapping diesel for electric on their 6 hectare site and went fully electric in 2021. Now they've put their electric tractor to a real test, going for a hot lap around Highland Motorsport Park in Cromwell." Electric Cherries' Mike Casey and Euan White cross live on Breakfast to discuss the record attempts, the Monarch tractor and the broader ambitions (head to 2.10 to hear the interview). Looking forward to having Liam Lawson take it for a spin soon.
Read moreDownloadNot content with the status quo when it comes to power and technology on farm, cherry farmer Mike Casey has created the world’s first fully electric farm. He tells Jayne Cuddihy about his mission to electrify millions of fossil-fuel machines on the official podcast channel for AgriFutures Australia.
Read moreDownloadRewiring Aotearoa is organising an electric vehicle showcase at the Wheels at Wānaka event on April 19-20. We've already got a few gems lined up, like an electric Hilux, the Forest Lodge Monarch tractor, Nomad safaris' electric bus and Mainfreight's electric truck, and we're hoping to get an electric Hummer, a solar-powered scooter and one of the world's oldest electric cars from 1904.
Read moreDownloadAn array of solar news this week as the country's biggest solar farm turns a sod, Lion and the Trusts Arena put their rooftops to work, some surprising front-runners in terms of solar panel imports from China, how solar and batteries are helping fast charging stations in the UK and Springs Junction deal with constraints on the grid, the Aptera solar-assisted car makes a successful road trip, and how technology changed telecommunications - and how it's about to change energy.
Read moreDownload"Innovative. Visionary. Problem-solver. These words are often used to describe Monarch Tractor, but we feel the same can be said for Mike Casey, owner and operator of Forest Lodge Orchard, a six-hectare (14.8 acres), high-density cherry orchard in New Zealand." On its blog, the California company explains how the tractor was the last piece of the puzzle for Casey's mission to farm without fossil fuels.
Read moreDownloadJamie Mackay talks to Mike Casey about cherry exports hitting a new milestone and surpassing 5000 tonnes, while Casey talks about how electricity is another crop farmers should be focusing on.
Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey joined a group of the country's most effective communicators for a Sustainable Business Network workshop recently. As the story says, "evidence shows that messaging evoking positive emotions is more effective than that focused on the negative." Casey regularly aims to inspire action through optimism and solution-focused storytelling and that's what he urged more businesses to do.
Read moreDownloadRewiring Aotearoa has been blown away by the engagement of everyday New Zealanders in the recent consultation by the Energy Competition Task Force. It asked how consumers should be better rewarded for helping the energy system during peak periods and while we use the term consumer in our submission as it is what the regulators use, we couldn’t agree with one submission: “What is required is not the empowering of consumers. It is the redefining of consumers as participants in the energy system.”
Read moreDownloadNew Zealand farmers are well accustomed to turning sunlight into food and fibre. Now, as Mike Casey writes in The Australian Farmer, there’s an opportunity to turn that sunlight into something else that will benefit New Zealand and the rural sector: renewable electricity.
Read moreDownloadOverall, Rewiring Aotearoa welcomes the objectives of this package of proposals. from the Energy Competition Task Force. We view the package as a critical step in improving energy system outcomes for all consumers. We consider retailers paying consumers fairly as a critical step, and we are mostly satisfied with the Task Force’s approach to this (initiative 2C) and think it will create better outcomes for New Zealand consumers and the energy system as a whole. In contrast, the Task Force’s preferred option around how distributors are required to reward peak input from consumers (initiative 2A) will not in our view meet the Task Force’s (or the Electricity Authority’s) stated objectives.
Read moreDownloadBeauden Barrett's star power is put to use to get more New Zealanders into solar power; it's election season in Aus and it's a 'battle of the band aids' in comparison to incentivising more electric homes and cars; in Tairāwhiti, a major project is underway to install solar on 21 marae; how the story of New Zealand electricity pioneer Lloyd Mandeno illustrates what we can do if we get smart with our electricity use; and a global series on energy focuses on the taonga of Contact Energy's geothermal resources.
Read moreDownloadA Federated Farmers’ survey of 1,000 farmers showed that 70% of respondents would consider installing solar panels and the enthusiasm was evenly spread across different age groups, genders and farm types. The economic drivers are clear and farms can significantly reduce their electricity costs with solar (and, if they invest in electric machines, their diesel costs), but there are plenty of unnecessary barriers stopping them from saving money, reducing emissions and playing a role in the energy system. We’ve pulled together a document that talks about the massive opportunity rural electrification offers, outlines the issues farmers are facing and what the decision makers need to do to make it easier.
Read moreDownloadRewiring Aotearoa is working to speed up the transition to an ‘electrified’ future, with work showing that upgrading fossil fuel machines to electric equivalents can save New Zealanders money on their energy bills, decrease emissions and give communities the resilience to keep their lights on and homes warm. ASB and Rewiring Aotearoa partnered up in 2023 and conducted research to identify barriers to households and farms going electric, undertook thorough literature review and considered potential finance solutions to address these barriers. This report covers some of the high-level themes uncovered during that process.
Read moreDownloadThis consultation is a key input into unlocking some benefits that will speed up the adoption of solar and batteries, increase system sizes, and help create the lowest possible cost energy system for Aotearoa New Zealand. We believe that many of the proposals are positive steps and have recognised the technological and economic shifts that are happening in energy, but there is still some bias against investments made by homes and farms towards investments made by networks and energy companies. Whether you've got five minutes or a few hours, your submission can have a real impact on the final decisions and ensure the playing field is made level. Here's how to make your voice heard.
Read moreDownloadInspired by successful electrification expos run in the Wairarapa, Queenstown and Australia, new community-led group Electrify the Hutt has committed to running its own expo later in 2025 to educate and inspire their community about the significant economic and environmental benefits of electric machines running on clean electricity.
Read moreDownloadMore exciting news about big batteries with free wheels (aka electric vehicles) from Australia; BYD's breakthrough sees EVs charging up in about the same time as it takes to fill a petrol car; boat charging comes to Queenstown; New Zealand's solar record (and the world's insatiable desire to run on the sun); and Bluecurrent and Meridian partner up to reward customers who hand over control of their hot water.
Read moreDownloadCommunity-led group Electrify Waiheke has set its sights on becoming the country’s first all-electric island by upgrading thousands of fossil fuel machines in homes, businesses, farms and public facilities to electric equivalents.
Read moreDownloadOn Newstalk ZB, Energy Resources Aotearoa chief executive John Carnegie spoke with Mike Hosking about the need for coal and gas to provide enough electricity in what looks like another dry year. But there is another option.
RNZ's Eloise Gibson outlined how Clarus removed an ad that said 'renewable gas was now flowing' following complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority about misleading consumers. The issue was that the renewable gas was being blended with fossil gas and only made up a small fraction of the total. The bigger issue is that it's even more expensive than fossil gas (which is already more expensive than electric equivalents) and there's not enough of it to meet demand.
Read moreDownloadWe're raising the roof on 'solar appreciation day' as Alpine Energy grows connections by 25% in a year and the country as a whole is close behind; a new paper in Nature shows that rooftop solar, long seen as a niche solution, could be the best way to reduce fossil fuel reliance; New Zealand is singled out as an early adopter of much more efficient industrial heat pumps; Toyota finally steps up its electric game with an upgrades to its existing BEV and two new models; and an optimistic take on the world's response to climate change.
Read moreDownloadAt Forest Lodge Orchard, the world’s first fully electric cherry farm, Mike Casey swapped fossil fuels for electric machinery—cutting costs and boosting efficiency. In this session, he shares practical, game-changing strategies that make sustainability and profitability work together.
Read moreDownloadTranspower tries to give New Zealanders a lightbulb moment with its explainer campaign (and a documentary series goes back to the start); celebrity chef Tom Shepherd cooks up some big cost savings with a more efficient commercial kitchen; Mike Taylor from Pie Funds lays out an electric argument that would help fix our balance of trade; Vessev gets some competition in Auckland with the arrival of the Candela P-12 electric hydrofoiling ferry (which Meridian has ordered for Manapouri); and a review of Australia's fastest home EV charger and its bi-directional-enabled capability.
Read moreDownloadAfter surveying almost 100 New Zealanders about their solar and battery installs, Mysolarquotes recently released 'The Hidden Costs of Solar and Battery Systems in New Zealand: 2024 Insights' report. And it's good news for customers looking to go big.
Read moreDownloadOne of Rewiring's key objectives for 2025 is to grow the number of community electrification groups. And Jay Salzke, who started as ecosystem lead late last year, has been travelling the country to help spark them up.
Read moreDownloadThere’s been an understandable focus on the price of electricity recently, with fears we may be in for a repeat of the wholesale debacle of 2024 as our hydro lake levels remain low. The Energy Competition Taskforce made another announcement about levelling the playing field for independent retailers and removing preferential pricing for the gentailers’ retail arms. Just like the previous announcement that talked about moves to level the playing field for customers with solar and batteries, this is another positive step towards a fairer system, but it’s not guaranteed to bring electricity prices down, as Mike Casey told Andrew Dickens on Newstalk ZB.
As the focus remains on rising electricity costs in New Zealand, solar and storage continues to drop in price and is set to become the cheapest source of energy around the world in the next few years; an Auckland man's quest to create the world's first electric helicopter; the efficiency of electric flight and the pitfalls of predictions; an electric road in Sweden that could wirelessly charge EVs; solid state batteries take to the streets and look set to increase range; and why going electric was better than offsetting because it led to actual emissions reductions for WoolWorks and Sawmill.
Read moreDownloadRewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey writes in Newsroom (paywall) that the low hydro lake levels are putting us at risk of another energy crunch in 2025, but more solar on our homes, farms and businesses would help bolster our energy security. As he says: "Solar is an energy source that is proven to perform better in dry years, ranks as the cheapest form of energy ever developed by humans and can help bring the cost of electricity down for everyone. When the leaves start dropping next year, I hope Min. Watts isn’t quite as concerned about lake levels or long-term forecasts because he can bask in the sunshine and know that he has helped more New Zealand homes, farms and businesses generate cheap electricity from the big nuclear fusion reactor in the sky. The future is bright."
Read moreDownloadAhead of an SBN Masterclass event in March, Rewiring Aotearoa's Mike Casey offers his top tips about communicating sustainability effectively, adding to advice from John Berry, Gabrielle Pritchard, Albert Bifet and Laura Cibilich.
Read moreDownloadFollowing on from the coverage of all-electric Forest Lodge Orchard, Fully Charged's host Robert Llewellyn takes to the water and speaks with Vessev CEO Erik Laakman about the effiency gains and emissions reductions offered by the world's first commercial electric hydrofoiling boat.
Read moreDownloadIt's a two-way street this week as energy minister makes positive noises about 'big batteries on wheels' playing a role in the energy system (and Zaptec smart chargers aim very high with a new campaign), Fed-Ex rolls out a few more electric delivery vans and wonders why everyone else isn't doing it, the story behind New Zealand's first electric coffee roastery in Queenstown, Christchurch Airport also claims a first with an electric firetruck, and Nat Bullard shows what's going on with the climate and where we're getting our energy from.
Read moreDownloadRNZ's Kathryn Ryan talked to Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey and Electricity Networks Aotearoa's Tracey Kai about the changes proposed by the Energy Competition Taskforce and how they will improve the already impressive return on investment for solar and batteries. As Casey said, the most important thing to remember is that the biggest benefits to households come from using solar as it is the cheapest form of delivered electricity available to New Zealand homes and those with electric machines and cars can save thousands each year on their energy bills. Exporting excess energy is generally a cherry on top and the proposed changes to reward peak export might only represent a small increase for households, but they may be significant for farmers or businesses with more space. More solar and batteries also helps to bring down the cost for everyone on the network, reduces the need for expensive pole and wire upgrades, which are paid for on customers' bills and can also help create more security of supply by keeping water in the dams.
A love letter to electrification this week as a kea soars high on solar, more electric buses for Auckland (and more Rivian vans for businesses), longer lasting EV batteries, more solar on smart schools, an open letter to the Australian Government asking for 'Real Zero' not net zero, and the world's first electric snowbike.
Read moreDownloadAs Rewiring Aotearoa’s Electric Homes research has shown, New Zealand has already reached the electrification tipping point, so going electric and running your home and car with a combination of grid electricity and rooftop solar and batteries is already a good economic decision for most homes (and likely the best thing they can do to reduce emissions). But, as Newsroom's Marc Daalder writes about the Energy Competition Taskforce proposals (paywalled), "proposed changes to the electricity market could see Kiwis paid more for the solar power they export to the grid, and less when drawing from the grid at off-peak times".
Read moreDownload"I firmly believe electricity is the next crop for farmers in New Zealand, and the more farmers that get involved in this, the better the returns for farmers are going to be ... My big dream is that farmers start powering New Zealand. That would be really cool." Seven Sharp ventured to Cromwell recently and Rachel Parkin put together a beautiful story about the all-electric Forest Lodge Orchard. The team has proven that it's possible to grow cherries without burning any diesel on the farm - 'not a single drop,' as manager Euan White says - and that farmers can play a role in the energy system by generating, using, storing and exporting their own electricity. At the moment, many homes, farms and businesses are reliant on expensive molecules sent to us from the other side of the world. Fossil fuels have taken us a long way, but there is a better and cheaper option: locally-produced electrons. That's good for businesses, and good for the country as a whole. Watch the show on TVNZ+ (skip to 4 mins).
Fully Charged, which has a large global reach and claims to be the world's number one home energy and electric vehicle channel, came to visit Mike Casey at the all-electric Forest Lodge recently. As host Robert Llewellyn (who Red Dwarf fans may recognise) says: "I think this is a shining example of what can be done today and what should be be done, particularly for countries like New Zealand that have to import their fossil fuels from a long, long way away".
Read moreDownloadRNZ's Susan Edmunds reports on the Energy Competition Taskforce proposals and says the changes "should lead to New Zealanders with solar power systems on their houses get more of a return for any power they put back into the system". As Electricity Authority chair Anna Kominik says: "New Zealand's electricity market currently relies on a few big generators to supply electricity at select locations and transmit it to households and businesses across the country. But as uptake of solar and battery systems continues to increase, more consumers will be able to contribute to our electricity system. And as smart electronics and vehicles become more ubiquitous, consumers will also be able to more actively manage their own energy use and costs. We're proposing three changes to help support this consumer empowerment and decentralisation of our energy system. Over time, this will increase community resilience and lower power costs for everyone," she said.
Read moreDownloadHomeowners with solar panels and batteries installed could be paid more to sell electricity back to the grid, reports TVNZ's Jessica Roden following the release of the Energy Competition Taskforce proposals. As Nelson solar installer Jon Pirie says in the piece, perfectly illustrating the 'neighbourhood effect', "year over year, people are more interested. They see the power bills going down and next thing the neighbours have got solar." Mike Casey also appears in the story saying anything we can do to incentivise customers to install their own generation and storage will help create the cheapest energy system.
Rewiring Aotearoa's response to the Energy Competition Taskforce: a pat on the back for recognising the shift and focusing on the role customers are playing - and will play - in the energy system, but just a light pat because more could be done to ensure the proposals are followed through on.
Read moreDownloadWe're definitely not running on fumes this week ... Why our electric future - from e-bikes to e-boats - looks both fun and functional, why swapping fuel for finance is crucial for homeowners (and access to capital is crucial for businesses like Chargenet that are helping to speed up the transition), how renewable energy projects are helping developing countries and low-income communities, and an ad from 1929 that reminds us of something.
Read moreDownloadStuff's Kylie Klein Nixon showcases the many benefits of Carl Hamlin's electric new build, which includes a hot water heat pump and solar panels. As the story says: "Water heating comprises about 1/3 of a household’s energy use, [EECA's Gareth] Gretton says. Hot water systems have a 15-year life expectancy, and 46% of hot water systems in New Zealand are over 10 years old. When we do replace old hot water systems, there is a tendency to replace like-for-like." Gas is the most expensive, hot water heat pumps have the lowest running costs and you're likely to make the most savings by electrifying your vehicle. If you want to save cash and slash emissions, your next purchasing decision should be electric.
Read moreDownloadThe most important energy cost is not what a corporation pays to produce or generate it, but what a consumer pays to buy it. That’s why Mike Casey argues the delivered cost of rooftop solar and batteries – and the other benefits these technologies provide to the system – need to be factored in when making investment decisions.
Read moreDownloadNew suburb-wide electrification pilot projects set to kick off in Australia, Fonterra's electrification plan to upgrade its boilers and trial EV tankers, Napier EV charging business Kwetta eyes up global expansion, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi talks about the massive rise of electric taxis, the German balcony solar movement spreads into Spain, and what if fossil fuel cars were the new technology?
Read moreDownloadThe Post's Alka Prasad has gone deep into how farmers are electrifying their operations, installing solar and batteries to alleviate concerns about dry years, and reducing their energy costs. As Maniototo farmer and owner of Solayer Becks Smith says in the story: "It's not an either-or situation from hydro-generated electricity to solar-generated electricity. It's about having a renewable electricity grid and shifting as far from fossil-fuel energy as we can,” she says. “For business resilience, the energy you can generate and use yourself is the cheapest energy you'll ever get." Rewiring Aotearoa CEO and electric orchardist Mike Casey says "farmers could have a huge positive influence on New Zealand's electricity system by generating power themselves and putting it into the grid for everybody else to be able to heat their homes, heat their water and charge their electric vehicles". "We can treat our hydropower scheme more like a battery which could power our homes and businesses at night time and solar can do a lot of the grunt work during the day,” he adds.
Read moreDownloadSome big switch energy this week as solar panels go vertical on farms (and on fences), induction disappears in fancy kitchens and celebrity chefs move towards the magnets, Counties Energy pushes a vision of the future that we can get behind, Bunnings spots a trend and launches a new range of EV charging products, and a brilliant game created to annoy asset managers investing in fossil fuels.
Read moreDownloadWriting in Newsroom, Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey looks at what's holding New Zealanders back from buying EVs despite the many benefits and why this technological shift is inevitable. "Incumbents always try to cling on, but the horse and cart is now a novelty, as is the landline, the fax machine and the Blackberry. These technologies served us well at the time, but they have been usurped and my prediction is that petrol and diesel vehicles are next."
Read moreDownloadIn need of some good climate news? Writing in the NZ Herald, Simon Wilson has compiled a list of New Zealand entrepreneurs and innovators, including Rewiring Aotearoa CEO and 'electric orchardist' Mike Casey, who are pushing things in a more positive direction. We need action across the board if we have any hope of reaching our climate targets, but energy is one area where positivity is warranted because the costs of renewables and electric machines continue to drop. At Rewiring Aotearoa we believe electrifying our homes, vehicles, farms and businesses will save us all money and help us address climate change. So let's embrace that win-win.
Read moreDownloadMike Casey talks to Jamie McKay on The Country about the current cherry market, what's happening with EVs, why investing in solar can help reduce energy farmers' costs and his plans for 2025.