The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
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.
In the past, those who cared most generally had to pay more.
If you wanted to support local businesses, buy organic food, or get some solar panels in an effort to be a better human, you were likely faced with an environmental (or moral) premium in comparison to the other options.
It's still generally the case when it comes to buying food and many other products, but when it comes to energy, this has now been reversed.
Those who care more actually end up paying less because upgrading your fossil fuel machines to electric equivalents and producing your own energy to run them will save you thouands every year and slash your household's emissions.
This is why, as we like to say at Rewiring Aotearoa, gas in homes is dumb: it's more expensive than going electric, as the graphs from our electric homes report show, but you also need to pay more to give your kids asthma and pollute your community's air.
The gas industry has attempted to play on our desire to choose lower-impact options by talking up the promise of so-called renewable gas and Clarus volunatrily removed its ad (which featured the classic smiling family over the hob cooking pancakes).
It sounds good in theory, but it's actually even dumber than fossil gas, mostly because it's even more expensive and there's also nowhere near enough of it to match demand.
As the story said: "A Gas Transition Plan issues paper written by energy officials said biomethane blending could provide a low-emissions option and boost supply for consumers who were willing to pay a premium in order to continue using pipeline gas, but concluded it was unlikely to win out in the long-term over the cheaper option of electrification."
Kids who come across a coal range these days might wonder what it was for. Kids in the future who come across some strange metal things sticking out of the hob or a gas bottle attached to the house may soon wonder the same thing.
'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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