John Raine: The Electricity System - Energy Realism versus Policy Greenwash

Cheap High-Density Energy is the Key to Prosperity

It’s Election 2026 policy silly season. No surprise that some party policies on New Zealand’s energy future are detached from reality, particularly those of the Green Party and Labour. At least NZ First’s bold oil and gas exploration policy is sound in principle.

Perspective with Ryan Bridge: Do we need a moratorium on data centres?

There's a bit of having your cake and eating it too when it comes to people who turn their noses up at these data centres.

The Greens are jumping up and down about them. Of course they are. They say they'll suck up power from the grid, push up electricity prices and create only a handful of jobs. That's the problem, apparently.

Dave Witherow: Power Pressure

There was a time when we used to be rich – number three in the world pecking order. Now, at number 63, and sinking fast, we are approaching the status of a third-world backwater. Poverty is widespread, and many New Zealanders are unable to afford the basics of existence. Electricity, for example – which used to cheap, is now so expensive that in the last year alone some 20,000 households had their power cut off at least once – despite government subsidies which last winter topped half a billion dollars. People are taking out loans to pay their power bills, sinking deeper into debt, while the power companies, (which we used to own) rack up about four billion profit per annum.

Bryan Leyland: "Things that you know that ain’t so…" - electricity

As the American humorist Will Rogers said: “It’s not what we don’t know that gives us trouble, it’s what we know that ain’t so”:

“An electricity market based on trading kWh in the short-term will automatically provide a reliable and economic supply into the future”

In New Zealand, our electricity market certainly does not provide an economic and reliable supply. Instead, it is often unable to supply all the load and it produces wildly fluctuating power prices.

Richard Meade: An attempt to lower NZ electricity prices could end up doing the opposite – here’s why

In its quest to lower electricity prices for New Zealand households, the Electricity Authority may inadvertently make the situation worse.

This week, the authority announced plans to require New Zealand’s “gentailers” – firms that both generate electricity and retail it to consumers – to offer the same supply terms to independent retailers as they do to their own retail arms.

Mike's Minute: Stop putting the bill on the taxpayer

It never takes long to find the bank of the taxpayer.

The Green Building Council has lined the Government up for Lord knows how many millions so we can all ditch our gas heaters, buy heat pumps, and save money and the gas industry.

Dr Will Jones: Norway’s Threat to Cut Off the UK Leaves Labour’s Net Zero Plans in Tatters

As Norway threatens to cut off the UK from electricity at times of low wind speeds, it’s a sign of a growing energy nationalism globally that leaves Labour’s short-sighted Net Zero plans in tatters, says Andy Mayer in the Telegraph. Here’s an excerpt.

DTNZ: NZ’s largest solar farm to be built near Te Aroha

As construction looms for New Zealand’s largest solar farm near Te Aroha, concerns are being raised about the effectiveness and environmental impact of such large-scale renewable projects.

The Tauhei Solar Farm, backed by UK-based Harmony Energy Limited and New Zealand company Clarus will span 182 hectares—a footprint larger than many rural towns. While touted as a step toward “decarbonization,” critics argue it is yet another example of expensive, inefficient green energy that fails to deliver on its lofty promises.

Point of Order: Buzz from the Beehive - 11/10/24

Hurrah – the RBNZ has lowered interest rates, but then the Crown accounts put a stopper on any celebrating with champagne

Finance Minister Nicola Willis was sounding chipper on Wednesday, after the Reserve Bank cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to 4.75 per cent – this was “welcome news” for families and businesses, she enthused

Kerre Woodham: Access to electricity is a basic human right

If you woke up this morning and you turned on the heater because it was a bit chilly, not as chilly as it has been, but a bit chilly, good for you. Did you think about the cost? If you didn’t, lucky you.

An estimated 40,000 New Zealand households had their power cut due to unpaid bills in 2023, which is a phenomenal number of households. One in five had trouble paying their monthly power bill and this is at a time when the “big four” power companies are earning more than $7 million every day while some households struggle to heat their homes.

Point of Order: Stark warning on NZ’s energy security with depletion of natural gas reserves

Will the politicians ignore it?

New Zealanders have had a wake-up call, with a report that natural gas reserves have fallen below ten years of remaining use for the first time.

The latest petroleum data from MBIE shows what authorities call the “shocking effect” of damaged investment signals.

Energy Resources Aotearoa is warning that without change, New Zealand’s energy security will be threatened.

Point of Order: A good energy policy is a good climate policy

Germany’s government shut down its last operating nuclear plant at the weekend.

Simultaneously, major utility EON announced a 45% increase in the price of electricity. Some German consumers will pay NZ$0.87 per kilowatt-hour.

And a day or so later, fellow-EU member Finland started regular output at Olkiluoto 3, Europe’s newest and largest nuclear reactor.

Point of Order: Shipping coals to Newcastle? No, it is being shipped to NZ – increasingly

While the govt funds those who switch to renewables

We were rewarded – on visiting Kiwiblog today – by finding this chart from The Facts, which shows how coal imports into this country have almost quadrupled under Labour.

Point of Order: The lessons NZ can learn from Australia to guide energy policy and keep prices down

As consumers receive their winter power bills, many are puzzled and some are incensed that they are so high.

There is a simple answer: wholesale prices are elevated (they have been very high for some time and reached $215 a megawatt/hour last week).

And there’s a not-so-simple answer: