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Sadly in February 2025 Levi Gibbs, our Energy Policy Advisor, will be leaving us to travel. As a result, the BusinessNZ Energy Council is on the lookout for a policy advisor to join our team. This is your opportunity to help promote a more sustainable, equitable and secure energy future in New Zealand and build a strong career in policy and advocacy. Come and join the BEC to advocate for better policy outcomes and more system thinking within the energy sector. You can find out more and apply here...

15th edition of the World Energy Issues Survey

The annual World Energy Issues Survey for 2025 has been influential in shaping discourse on global and national energy challenges and has provided great insights on how those compare for the past 12 years. It is conducted in over 100 countries and gathers responses from energy organisations. New Zealand hope to replicate their high response rate from 2024. The survey closes 20 December 2024 with global results shared in February 2025 - so please take the time to complete the survey now...

Government review of the electricity market

The terms of reference for a review of the performance of the electricity market have been released. The review, initiated by the Coalition Government during the power crisis in winter will look at whether current regulations and market design support economic growth and access to reliable and affordable electricity. The review will address areas including investment and access to capital, market rules and competition, and market performance monitoring. Read more...

Nuclear tech around the world

We continue to see the uptake of new nuclear tech around the world. Appalachian Power are looking to bring small modular reactors to Virginia - read more..., and Kenya moves forward with plans for the country's first nuclear power plant - read more...

Electricity access

Like some other global trends, the steady growth in electricity access temporarily reversed during the pandemic. In 2023, however, progress resumed, and a recent update from the International Energy Agency predicts that in 2024, the number of people without electricity will fall to 737 million, the lowest in decades....

Submissions

BEC has just completed its submission on Options to improve diesel resilience. BEC is currently responding to the Authority’s paper on Network Connections and Distribution Connection Pricing Reform. Please reach out to Levi if you have any feedback you’d like to include in both submissions. Read more on our submissions here...

Low emission transport fund round 15: Ports

EECA's latest co-funding opportunity is open to New Zealand’s 13 sea ports and third parties operating at them. The Low Emission Transport Fund's Round 15 is a $4 million contestable pool, with co-funding available of up to 50% of a project's costs. EECA expects to approve projects up to $500,000 (or more with sufficient justification). Projects must be a minimum of $50,000 in total core project costs.  Applications close 10 February 2024. For more information and to apply - Read more... 

Fonterra announces its largest decarbonisation project to date

Fonterra is set to convert two coal boilers to wood pellets at its Clandeboye site in South Canterbury, a crucial step in Fonterra's commitment to exit coal by 2037. The $64 million investment will cut the Co-operative’s overall emissions by nine per cent with reductions totalling 155,000 tonnes of CO2e each year, the equivalent of removing more than 64,000 cars from New Zealand roads each year. Fonterra Chief Operating Officer Anna Palairet says the project marks a significant milestone in Fonterra’s sustainability journey. Read more...

2024 gas supply and demand study

Gas Industry Co. released its 2024 Gas Supply and Demand study, undertaken by EY. It analysed four scenarios, including the current trajectory, a scenario where Methanex leaves early, LNG imports and an accelerated renewables future. The study findings mean investment is needed in new gas supply. In the absence of  imported fuel or a significant domestic discovery, supply will become insufficient to meet demand if the current trajectory continues. Read more...

Launching new home energy savings calculator

One of the ways we are mobilising New Zealanders to be world leaders in clean and clever energy use is with our new Gen Less Switch on efficiency initiative. We have launched a home energy savings calculator to help Kiwis make informed energy choices. Check out the calculator and see what your household could save. Read more...

Clean energy can be New Zealand's competitive advantage

Aotearoa New Zealand is being challenged to be ambitious - making use of its renewable energy potential and ‘grow to zero’ to confront the impacts of climate change, in a just-released white paper by energy distributor Powerco. Entitled ‘Grow to zero – clean energy can be Aotearoa New Zealand’s competitive advantage for economic growth’, the paper states that “unless we’re ambitious, we will not create enough wealth to have the first world infrastructure and lifestyle we want for ourselves, our tamariki and our mokopuna as we confront the impacts of a changing climate”. Read more...

More secure energy supply for NZ

Contact Energy officially opened New Zealand’s newest geothermal power station at Tauhara. Building a new power station is no mean feat. It took more than a village to raise this particular child with more than 4,000 people from 27 countries collectively working 2.65 million hours over three and a half years. A tremendous amount of hard work, thoughtfulness, creativity, resilience and fortitude from our team has delivered one of the country’s most significant infrastructure projects in recent times. Their contribution has helped secure a reliable renewable energy source that will benefit New Zealand for generations Read more...

More EV chargers for Christchurch

EV drivers in New Zealand benefit from the new bp charge Gigahub™ at Christchurch Airport, bp's first in the Southern Hemisphere. It features 12 fast EV charge points, with plans for expansion. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, bp New Zealand Head of Country Haley Mahoney, and Christchurch Airport CEO Justin Watson officially opened the Gigahub™. Drivers can enjoy drinks, snacks, and barista-made coffee at bp Connect Russley Road. Read more...

Z Energy EV rollout milestone

Z Energy (Z) is pleased to announce it has reached a new milestone in its EV charging rollout, with an EV charger now at one in four Z service stations. Z currently has 145 charging bays at 48 of its service stations and are on track to meet their goal of 150 EV charging bays live across the country by the end of 2024. Read more...

Renewable gas pipeline

The First Renewables biogas upgrade facility, located at the Ecogas Reporoa Organics Processing Facility went into production in November. It upgrades raw biogas into pipeline-ready renewable gas. Renewable gas, or biomethane, is chemically identical to conventional natural gas but comes from renewable sources such as organic waste, making it a critical player in reducing carbon emissions across various sectors. It can be used for heating, electricity generation, and even transportation. Read more...

Harapaki wind farm switched on

Meridian Energy has officially flicked the switch on its new Harapaki Wind Farm in Hawke’s Bay. Local landowners, suppliers, contractors, Te Pōhue School, community representatives and Members of Parliament Catherine Wedd and Katie Nimon recently gathered on site to celebrate the achievement. Harapaki is New Zealand’s second-largest wind farm and able to generate up to 176MW – enough to power roughly every home in Hawke’s Bay. Read more...