News & Updates
With high electricity prices in the news recently, Jamie Mackay talks to Mike Casey about the role solar can play in bringing prices down for households with panels on the roof - and all New Zealanders.
There will be benefits for everyone in New Zealand if more people own their power, rather than continuing to rent it. But we need to start thinking about customers with solar and batteries as part of the infrastructure, something that the market has not been set up to handle. Roll on that world, says Mike Casey.
In this week's best of, a report showing that batteries beat oil by a long way when it comes to mining, EV sales in New Zealand still growing (and sun is an excellent fuel in Africa), the amazing electric machines currently being built in China, a handy video explainer on the concept of useful energy, and a classic Nissan Leaf commercial that makes you think about the machines that still burn fossil fuel.
After Mike Casey spoke to almost 100 people in Masterton about the economic and environmental benefits of electrification, long-time councillor Chris Peterson wrote an opinion piece about Rewiring Aotearoa's realistic ‘what’s in it for me’ approach to achieving results, the success of the Electrifying Queenstown event and the momentum that's now building in the region for an Electrify Wairarapa campaign. As he writes: "No matter your political persuasion, one thing that seems to unite us is saving money so it has been encouraging to see genuine collaboration — reflecting, hopefully, a realisation that we are all in this climate crisis together and that electrifying the region means there is also something in it for the community." Where next?
A new electric dumper in Wellington and new electric buses in Christchurch, an energy hardship project with real world data, a novel scheme in some US resort towns that makes up for outdoor energy use, Rivian's very appealing new charging outpost and easily the best love song we've ever heard.
Earning a place on this week's electrification podium, Auckland's new electric bus hub (and Palmerston North's big electric bus investment), Germany's new law enshrining solar rights and how tenants can benefit from publicly-owned panels in Zurich, an Australian experiment shows how EVs could play a role during grid emergencies (and why we need smart charging to reduce stress on the grid), and the inside story of New York's first all-electric skyscraper.
IDTechEx’s new report Battery Markets in Construction, Agriculture and Mining (CAM) Machines 2024-2034 shows CAM machines require a diverse range of battery solutions to cater to their individual needs, especially in agriculture such as tractors. Senior technology analyst Dr James Jeffs has looked at the different use cases and where they work best and the report shows battery demand for off-highway industries will be worth $8 billion by 2034. Rewiring Aotearoa chief executive Mike Casey gets a mention after his orchard introduced the Monarch electric tractor to the country, where it performs well for low-energy tasks like mowing.
The cup runneth over with good electrification news and this week's selection features EVs becoming cheaper than fossil cars in China, a promising peer-to-peer electricity sharing scheme on Aotea / Great Barrier Island, massive growth in renewable generation (and massive opportunity for New Zealand to become the Saudi Arabia of renewable electricity), Energy Mad reaches a milestone, and a special electric toy for the snow lovers.
"Mike Casey is a 'nerd' (of his own admission) in the world of electrification, he's blazing the trial right out front showing the rest of us what can be done and he's then very kindly sharing all his knowledge so we can learn and uptake as it suits our businesses. This is an exciting conversation that really ignited the flame of opportunity and how farming can be a solution to the country's energy issues!"
It's pretty rare for someone to be invited back to the E Tipu Agri Summit two years in a row, but Mike Casey has plenty to talk about. Rewiring Aotearoa's Electric Farms paper proved there are similar benefits for the rural sector if we can turn farms into power plants and, as he says - and as he has shown on his own cherry orchard - New Zealand’s farmers could reduce their operational costs by going electric and generating a lot of their own electricity through mid-scale solar and battery systems. And they can also make money by feeding electricity back into the grid at times of high demand. “Whether in the home or on the farm, electrification is a real win-win. It’s not just the right environmental decision anymore, it’s the right economic decision. It’s a no-brainer. We just have to figure out how to make it easy.”
“What I get a lot is people talk about electric vehicles and what they say with electric vehicles is that they’re great for people in the city, but they’re not great for the people in the country,” Casey told the 2024 National Renewables in Agriculture Conference in Queensland. “And I always have to remind them that that couldn’t actually be further from the truth. Literally, the more [kilometres] you drive, the better off you are driving an electric vehicle ... If charging purely from the grid it costs us around $9 for a full charge, however with our solar and battery array we are expecting the cost to be closer to $2 a charge and are currently collecting the data to verify this ... One of the most remarkable things we now see in New Zealand is the number of farmers that are adopting electric vehicles because they’re starting to realise that per kilometre cost [of fuelling them is] significantly less than [petrol or diesel]."
Another great piece from RNZ's Eloise Gibson about our mixed rankings in the global EV charging stakes and the need to lift our game as EVs become more popular (globally, nearly one in five cars sold in 2023 was electric, a 35 percent year-on-year increase). The government promised 10,000 more public chargers by 2030 and $257 million in funding has been allocated to that goal. At this stage, it's not clear where that money will be spent, but one option that isn't explored in the story is the potential to make use of our 50,000 farms. Farmers investing in mid-scale solar and battery systems could not only power their own machines much more affordably and earn money for sending electricity back to the grid at peak times, but they could also become part of an extensive national charging network and create another new revenue stream. Farms are usually very close to the medium voltage networks, meaning they can scale up renewable systems without physical constraints or undue overloading risks to the distribution networks.
Queenstown, Wānaka and the surrounding region have committed to one of the world’s most ambitious climate targets and pledged to create a carbon-zero visitor economy by 2030. It’s great to have a bold target to aim for but, as renowned electricity lover Thomas Edison said, vision without execution is just hallucination – and right now, the region is a long way off track and lagging behind a number of other places. So how can the region go from talking to walking? It basically all boils down to this: everything that can be electrified needs to be electrified - and quickly. Read Mike Casey's full opinion piece on Newsroom.
On this week's e-highlight reel, electricity generating windows from across the Tasman, the role community-owned microgrids can play in regional areas, the rise of electric boats, and how heat pumps save money and reduce emissions.
Across the world, farmers and machinery producers are stepping up to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by electrifying essential equipment and exploring alternative fuels ... In New Zeland's Otago, cherry producer Mike Casey has been running a 6-hectare orchard without using any fossil fuels. Last year, it produced 80 tonnes of cherries for local and export markets. His fleet of 21 electric machines includes prototypes and traditional vehicles that have been converted to electric. "I never envisioned us going fully electric; I was just sort of thinking there will be some things that we can do to cut out diesel and cut our emissions," he said. "But what actually happened is we discovered we'd save about $40,000 a year of energy costs on our farm."
New Zealand is going to need a lot more electricity as homes and businesses swap out fossil fuel machines for much more efficient electric versions. MBIE has just released a report showing a range of different scenarios and under favourable economic conditions the demand for electricity could rise by 81 percent by 2050. Where we get all that extra electricity from is an important strategic question for New Zealand and the report says wind and solar will be the "least cost" way to meet this demand. At Rewiring Aotearoa, we believe a lot of the extra electricity we need could come from rooftop solar and because it is produced where it is used it is the cheapest form of delivered electricity New Zealanders can get. Batteries are also dropping in price and rooftop solar and battery combinations can reduce peak loads while saving on energy bills. This is vital context for how we choose to build out the energy system to be low cost and highly resilient.
New Zealanders sometimes need endorsement from overseas before we realise we've got something special and the Aussies seem to be picking up up what Mike Casey is putting down. Following a keynote presentation at an agricultural conference in Perth, ABC's RN Drive show spoke to Mike about his all-electric orchard.
On this week's electrification highlight reel, Contact Energy's new grid-scale battery project with Tesla, how the really big machine manufacturers are going electric, solar power reaches a big audience - and a big milestone - and a succinct summary of the efficiency of electric machines.
The Guardian Australia's Aston Brown looks at the promise of electric technology in the agricultural sector as well as some of the existing barriers to update and talks to Mike Casey about the opportunities that already exist in horticulture and viticulture. He also talks to Terry Krieg, the co-founder of Linttas Electric Company, who is developing a semi-autonomous combine harvester that claims to reduce fuel use by a third. But it's not just about reducing carbon emissions and costs, says Prof. Ray Willis, managing director of Future Smart Strategies. “It’s about redesigning the vehicle for the first time in 100 years. If you make it electric, inevitably it turns out to be better, more durable, more reliable.”
Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey was invited to be the keynote speaker at AgZero 2030 conference in Perth recently, where he spoke about the opportunity in front of Australian farmers to do as he has done and electrify the machines on their farms and produce as much of the energy required to run them via rooftop solar - with battery storage offering another potential revenue stream. Not only does this save farmers money, it drastically reduces emissions through diesel use and, as the Countryman reported Casey as saying, "when everyone is winning, you don't need to fight".
The Otago Daily Times and The South Today covered the inaugural Electrify Queenstown conference at Millbrook Resort yesterday. Destination Queenstown chief executive Mat Woods said the event was to show "the benefits of electrification, and what businesses can electrify such as vehicles, heating and cooking methods" and there was a huge amount of interest from the business community. "It was important to build an understanding that when things need to be replaced, replacing them with electric alternatives are not only better for the planet, but can also be cheaper, and more reliable ... Realistically we expected 50 people to turn up, but we had to cap attendance for the morning’s panel at 150 people." Rewiring Aotearoa's Mike Casey was the keynote speaker, and his electric tractor even provided heating for the tradeshow in the marquee.
Rewiring Aotearoa is supportive of the Innovation and non-traditional solutions allowance (INTSA) and the development of Guidance for submissions. Read our full submission by downloading the document.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadWhile the potential implications of the Bill are wide-ranging, our submission has focused on the potential implications for the electrification of Aotearoa NZ if the Bill is enacted as proposed. This is pertinent to Rewiring’s work, because one of our core aims is to help reduce energy bills for customers - NZ’s households, farms, and businesses. Significant changes are needed to fix the status quo, and we are concerned that the Bill may inadvertently bake in the existing rules governing the sector.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadRewiring Aotearoa is supportive of the development of Publicly Available Specification for Residential solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage systems guidelines. These guidelines can provide a consolidated and trusted source of information to help households navigate the process of choosing and installing solar PV and batteries. There is some messaging and information in the PAS that we think needs to be changed or added to provide households with the best advice to support them to maximise benefits from solar PV and batteries. This includes removing the focus on pay back periods and informing households about cost savings from day one from solar PV and batteries financed over the life of the system. Households also need information about the potential risks of some existing lease to own sales models which provide little real benefit to households with the bulk of the savings captured in suppliers profits. Download the document to read our full submission.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadIn 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 moreShareable linkDownloadWe 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 moreShareable linkDownloadOverall, 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 moreShareable linkDownloadFocusing on the emissions reductions at home through electrification is a major opportunity (and challenge) for Aotearoa NZ. Homes, farms, and businesses must play a role in driving emissions reductions through electrification and the potential must be recognised and addressed to our 2035 international climate change target.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadRewiring 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.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadRewiring Aotearoa's submission to the Electricity Authority on its Network Connections Project - Stage One is in and it is good to see the Authority practicing its statutory objective of protecting the interests of consumers.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadThe Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment opened consultation on a discussion document about amendments to the Electricity Safety Regulations to expand the permitted voltage range for electricity supply. Rewiring Aotearoa's submission believes changes are needed to prepare for the rapid adoption of customer energy resources, and electricity distribution companies need to be compelled to allow export limits to be increased.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadThe Department for Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Ministry for the Environment proposed a topic for a Long Term Insights Briefing entitled 'Everyone plays a part: building New Zealand’s resilience in the context of global trends and our unique natural environment'. Rewiring Aotearoa's submission says energy security and resilience, critical infrastructure failing and commodity/energy price shocks are especially important for Aotearoa NZ’s resilience to future challenges, and farms can also play an important role.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadOur ERP2 submission outlines what we think needs to be done to improve the Government's plan to reach our climate targets, electrify the Aotearoa New Zealand economy and build a fairer future energy system for New Zealanders that saves people money and does not leave anyone behind.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadThere is a relevant saying: ‘Information wants to be free’. While the proposed Consumer and Data Product Bill takes a step in that direction, it does not offer the level of freedom that could be technically accomplished, nor the level of freedom that is likely to unlock the maximum level of innovation.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadRakiura / Stewart Island faces the highest electricity prices in New Zealand. Successive governments have funded report after report and numerous fly-in visits by Ministers have failed to change this situation for the local community. Rewiring Aotearoa believes the opportunity is to harness existing solar and battery technology to deliver significant cost-of-living savings and reduced emissions at scale via electrification on Stewart Island right now. With financed solar and batteries, electricity usage costs for residents could be halved without delay. Rewiring Aotearoa has been engaging with the local community, who have been sending us their power bills. On Saturday 27th April some of the Rewiring team visited Stewart Island (including Mike Rewi who has strong whakapapa to Stewart Island). What we are hearing from this community is many locals fear the proposals and the likely “preferred option” will be focused on replacing current diesel generators, not on reducing the cost of energy for consumers. Our proposal outlines Rewiring Aotearoa’s pitch for an alternative approach to develop a community-led energy solution for the Island.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadOverall, we encourage the Commission to think beyond competition merely as a driver for innovation, to consider the outcomes from innovation for the long term benefit for New Zealanders. Rewiring Aotearoa believes one such outcome from market innovation is supporting the electrification opportunity for Aotearoa New Zealand. The Commission has the opportunity to play an active role in driving this not just through the energy market, but also through the personal banking market. It is important that these functions are not seen in isolation, but as a system, to better realise the Commission's role in delivering on NZ’s emissions reduction plan, and 2050 Nationally Determined Contribution.
Read moreShareable linkDownload18 March 2024: New Zealand is one of the first places in the world where electric appliances and vehicles are now more affordable than their fossil fuel equivalents. A new report has shown that, on average, homes currently using gas appliances and petrol vehicles could save thousands every year if they went electric and got their electricity from a combination of rooftop solar, home battery and New Zealand’s already highly renewable grid.
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In this future, consumer infrastructure needs to compete on a level playing field with traditional infrastructure – if a $10,000 battery on a consumer’s premises can provide the same service as a $20,000 supply-side asset (a network or generation investment), the consumer’s asset should be selected for the service. However, today there is a systemic bias towards traditional infrastructure largely because it is seen as significantly more ‘dependable’. There are a variety of historical reasons for this. Our primary context to this submission is that many of the assumptions and rationale for this bias are quickly falling away, and DPP4 provides a significant opportunity for the Commerce Commission (the Commission) to reset the assumptions and correct some of this bias.
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The EA has the ability to take a leadership role in the energy transition on behalf of electricity consumers. Far more than the Commerce Commission’s oversight of EDBs investment plans, the EA’s network pricing workplan gives consumers agency in the development of the electricity system. When consumer agency is stifled, they will likely have significantly worse financial outcomes on their bills. Much of the necessary changes have been demonstrated already locally or overseas, and the remaining question is not if the changes are possible but if we as a nation will have the courage to implement them on the timeline required to drive better energy transition outcomes for consumers.
Read moreShareable linkDownloadWhen it comes to our energy system, we could do the bare minimum and pay the price, or we could think ahead and reap the rewards. Here's what both of those options could look like in 2030.
Read moreYou will always have to pay for an energy subscription. Using renewable electricity in electric machines (and ideally running on the sun) is the cheapest energy subscription you can get. Here's how the numbers stack up.
Read morePlenty of people need cars (and plenty of people still want them), and other vehicles are literal engines of prosperity. We don't have to give them up to reach our climate goals. We just need them to be electric.
Read moreSolar on our rooftops, farms and businesses can displace the emissions generated by burning fossil fuels in our homes and especially our cars, provide the extra electricity we need to run our electric machines, help bring the cost of electricity down for everyone on the network, and improve our energy security by keeping water in our hydro lakes for when we need it most.
Read moreWe often hear from people who aren’t sure if switching to an electric alternative is the right move. One of the most common questions we get asked is ‘will switching to an electric machine actually reduce my carbon footprint if creating the new machine or materials produces emissions?’It’s a fair question, and we completely agree it’s important to think about the full life cycle of the products we buy and use. Electric alternatives, including vehicles, often produce more emissions than fossil fuel equivalents during manufacturing. But, over the lifetime of the machine, they create much less carbon pollution because they don't burn any fuel.
Read moreFossil fuels for homes, transport and industrial processes make up the vast majority of the country’s total energy consumption. Electrifying the machines that use these fossil fuels means we will use more electricity but much less energy overall.
Read moreAn electrified energy system is actually full of opportunities for redesign, reuse, recovery and recycling. There are opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs to generate value across the lifespan of every energy asset, not least the return of its components to the manufacturing cycle. To explore this further, Rewiring Aotearoa has partnered with Circularity, local experts in circular design and strategy, to explain what the circular economy is, how to integrate circularity into the design of energy systems, and the role of policy strategy to make it happen.
Read moreThere are no free lunches in energy. But some lunches are far, far cheaper than others. Electrifying everything will massively reduce the overall material and energy requirements of the global energy system. This can be said with high confidence. To be sure, renewable energy systems take materials and energy to build. But this is dwarfed by the mind-boggling scale of extraction, consumption and wastefulness of fossil energy.
Read morePeople sometimes talk about ‘carbon tunnel vision’ – that is, the single-minded pursuit of emission reductions at the sake of everything else. But this is the wrong way to think about electrification. It isn’t only about emissions (even though preventing the world from dangerous overheating is quite the co-benefit). It isn’t only about the tech or the kit: the rooftop solar panels, the batteries, the electrified appliances and vehicles. These are just the means to an end. Electrification is about people and it is a fundamentally better way to power our lives and livelihoods.
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Redwood Materials claims a record with old EV batteries used to store cheap solar to run a small data centre; OneEnergy launches a product that puts the sun directly into your water tank; more plug-in solar news from Ikea and Utah; very fast electric boats and cars; and a beautiful union between two star-crossed lovers.
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Victoria looks to get off the residential gas with a range of changes, an announcement in the UK gets everyone excited about V2X, why EVs are a good hedge against geopolitical strife, new comparison and switching partner announced (and we have a couple of requests), and it turns out that keeping the emissions out of the sky is a better idea than trying to catch them.
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Australia's battery sales take off as Government incentive drives demand; Australia's first urban renewable energy zone is announced; the Whole Story and Hutt City Council launch some electric resources for kids; Germany finds more uses for solar panels on its highways; and predictions versus reality when it comes to solar and coal.
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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.
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In 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".
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A 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'.
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Meridian 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.
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The 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).
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It'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'.
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Resilience 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.
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Introducing Bright Sparks, a new regular feature where we shine a light on some of the country's electrification heroes.
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New Zealand cherry grower Mike Casey runs what is considered to be the world's first fully electric farm.
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