The debate about LNG has often been framed as if New Zealand faces a simple binary choice: import more gas, or risk insecurity. But the discussion throughout this series points to a different conclusion. Aotearoa does not need a single replacement for gas. It needs a managed transition plan. That plan does not begin from … Continue reading A practical pathway for Aotearoa’s energy future
Why electricity prices are rising — and what Australia shows us Electricity prices are one of the most immediate ways people experience the energy system. In New Zealand, prices have tended to rise over time, with periodic spikes linked to fuel constraints and dry conditions. Recent increases have been closely associated with declining gas supply … Continue reading Why electricity prices are rising and how to stabilise them
This is the fourth post in our Energy Future Series. The debate about LNG often assumes a single question: If we don’t import gas, what replaces it? But this is the wrong way to think about the problem. Natural gas is not used for a single purpose. It supports multiple parts of the economy, each … Continue reading Pathways for the transition from gas
We have alternatives to gas. renewable generation options flexible demand pathways multiple transition strategies across sectors. The magnitude of this issue is worthy of a much broader public debate. Reducing gas demand also has a material impact on New Zealand’s emissions profile. Based on current emissions factors, a reduction of 100 petajoules of gas consumption … Continue reading Policy, risk, and the direction of our energy system
This is the third post in our Energy Future Series. New Zealand’s electricity system faces a real challenge. In dry years, when inflows into hydro lakes are low, the system can come under pressure, particularly through winter. This is a well-understood risk, and it deserves to be taken seriously. But how we respond to that … Continue reading Dry-year risk: What critics get right, and wrong
Climate Action Tai Tokerau 