Kiwibank has officially moved into its new Auckland home – a building with a Six Green Star Certification near Wynyard Quarter. Michael Andrew went to see how sustainable a building has to be to earn so many stars. In late 2019, when fans at Eden Park were sipping away at Sprite, Coke and L&P while … Read more
Think you know an energy provider who delivers 100% renewable power to its customers? Think again. From the clothes we wear to the food we eat, much of what we consume we take for granted. Part of that is because, as consumers, we only ever see the final product, and electricity – the thing that … Read more
Labour has committed to 100% renewable energy in a decade. But is that the right goal? The path to real sustainability and for New Zealand to live up to its clean, green brand has received renewed attention during the 2020 election campaign. There is a key divergence in the main political parties ideas for the … Read more
Tesla has delighted investors and stunned rivals with its meteoric rise to the top of the car industry. With the right Kiwisaver fund, New Zealanders have the chance to back a winning and renewable horse, writes Pathfinder CEO John Berry. Tesla’s share price is three times higher than at the start of this year. With … Read more
It’s no secret that New Zealand’s Covid-19 response was one of the world’s most effective. But to get an idea of how eagerly parts of our economy have rebounded post lockdown, take a look at our electricity demand data. Despite an impending wave of unemployment and looming fiscal challenges down the road, New Zealand’s economy … Read more
After almost 50 years, New Zealand’s only aluminium smelter is due to close next August. We take a look at what it means for the economy and the environment. What’s all this then? Multinational metal and mining corporation Rio Tinto has today announced it is planning to close the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter in Southland … Read more
Covid-19 or not, renewable energy is the future. That’s why one grassroots business is taking a leap of faith and trusting that the current downturn will eventually yield to an ecotourism boom. To launch an ecotourism business in rural Otago right now, you’d need to be either a visionary or just a little bit mad. … Read more
Oil markets are in turmoil, energy demand has been hammered by Covid-19, and economic crises loom all over the world; so why is energy economist Michael Liebreich optimistic? He talked about the current state of the world with Alex Braae. In the world of energy economics, there are no simple answers. Decisions made in one … Read more
OPINION: In the fifth part of the series with our partners at Flick Electric Co to help you make better energy choices, Flick’s Nikki Cockburn breaks down the sources of our electricity. So we know that regardless of which power company we’re with, the electricity we use is at the mercy of the National Grid. … Read more
OPINION: In the fourth part of the series with our partners at Flick Electric Co to help you make better energy choices, Flick’s Nikki Cockburn explains how the national grid works. Roughly 80% of the electricity generated in New Zealand is renewable, so it’s easy to get complacent about reducing our carbon impact. But the … Read more
Covering Climate Now: The release of the new Nissan Leaf electric vehicle signals a shift in the role of cars in our society. Simon Day was at the launch of the new model. The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is made possible thanks to Spinoff Members. Join us here! According to the Ministry of … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Report questions government’s plans for renewable energy, reshuffle confirmed by PM for later this week, and two powerful pieces about giving birth. The government’s priorities for lowering carbon emissions are in question, in a report produced about electricity generation. Basically, the current goal is to get … Read more
If the future is going to be powered by renewable energy, the world needs to get a lot better at dealing with one very precious element, the Materialise conference on sustainability in Wellington has heard. The argument goes something like this: To fight climate change, the world needs to convert to technology that runs on … Read more
Steve O’Connor CEO of Flick Electric writes about why he welcomes increased scrutiny for his industry. We’re not about political party flag-waving here at Flick – that’s not our mandate. What we are interested in is how political shifts and policy levers impact our customers, and Kiwi electricity users in general. So, all of us. … Read more
Z Energy sells more petrol than anyone else in New Zealand while also trumpeting its environmental record. Today it put its money where its PR is in purchasing a large majority stake in Wellington startup Flick Electric Co. An unlikely marriage – more an adoption, really – has just been announced between Z Energy and … Read more
With the announcement that the Government will end offshore oil and gas exploration in New Zealand, and at the end of our four-yearly schooling by Australia in how to win medals, Vector’s Karl Check says parts of Australia are also making pretty good progress when it comes to shifting away from coal and gas fired … Read more