News

This year is shaping up to be a banner one for New Zealand’s response to climate change. The Zero Carbon Bill is before Parliament, the Emissions Trading Scheme is to be reformed by the end of 2019, and the Budget earmarked additional funding for climate mitigation steps.

Industry is stepping up too. This week marks one year since the formation of the Climate Leaders Coalition, a group now numbering more than 100 leading NZ companies representing more than half of NZ’s carbon emissions. These firms have committed to measure, report on and reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

Air New Zealand, for example, has improved the fuel efficiency of its fleet by 21 percent since 2009, saving them both money and emissions. Toyota, Fuji Xerox, Fonterra, Sky City and The Warehouse Group are among many others.

The Auckland Council’s latest annual Green Bond offer has raised $150 million.

Council Finance and Performance Committee chairman Ross Clow says it’s a good result.

“There is a growing appetite for green investment – according to Moody’s Investor Service, the Green Bond market is tipped to hit $200 billion (USD) this year – so it makes sense for us to use the opportunity to support our sustainable development targets and goals,” Clow says.

DB Breweries has today announced its ambition to halve its carbon emissions by 2030.

The announcement coincides with the launch of DB Breweries’ 2018 Sustainability Report and carbon reduction roadmap, which outlines plans for further action and radical reform by the business on climate change.

The chief executive of Z Energy says new proposals to encourage uptake of electric vehicles is not a ”Kodak moment” but says the impact of the policy will be felt gradually.

Mike Bennetts says from its formation the company had pushed for reduced reliance on fossil fuels but this would contribute towards the challenge to its core business.

A new report has found the widespread uptake of distributed battery energy storage systems (BESS) in New Zealand could play an important role in supporting the power system as solar PV and electric vehicles are increasingly adopted.

Transpower’s Distributed Battery Energy Storage Systems in New Zealand examines the operational impact on the power system of the widespread uptake of these systems in homes and businesses in conjunction with the large-scale uptake of rooftop solar PV generation and electric vehicle (EV) charging. The report identifies what is required to enable a successful integration and ensure a reliable fit-for-purpose power system.

Meridian Energy welcomes the government’s proposal to introduce standards and discounts incentivising cleaner vehicles in New Zealand.

Chief Executive Neal Barclay says transport represents a huge opportunity for New Zealand to reduce emissions, meet climate targets, and lower running costs for families and individuals.

Toyota New Zealand says the Government’s planned consultation on clean car standards and discounts is an encouraging step towards reducing New Zealand’s automotive carbon emissions.

The Government has proposed a clean car standard for importers and distributors as well as a clean car discount for consumers based on adding a fee to higher emitting imported new and used vehicles and a discount for low or zero emitting new and used vehicles retailing for less than $80,000.

Watercare is opting for electric-only vehicles where suitable.

It has added 23 new Hyundai electric vehicles to its passenger pool fleet – 20 Ioniqs and three Konas.

The Auckland Council-controlled organisation (CCO) says it’s no longer going to include plug-in hybrids, opting only for fully electric or conventional vehicles.

“In future, our focus will be on efficiency and fuel reductions,” a spokesperson says.

Low-Carbon Dining
It took Josh Barlow, executive chef of The Sugar Club, just over half a year to create and serve New Zealand’s first three-course “low-carbon” menu last month.

The time investment doesn’t exactly bode well for adopting a climate-friendly diet for every day. But given the global food system’s impact on the planet – said to be responsible for about one-third of the planet-warming greenhouse gases – it’s a nudge in the right direction for diners considering the greater effects of their food choices.

Vector, New Zealand’s leading distributor of electricity and gas, is exploring the possibility of turning end-of-life Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries into affordable power storage for homes and businesses.

In collaboration with Relectrify, an Australian battery control technology growth firm, the trial is testing the capability of EV batteries to be converted into electricity storage batteries.

Watercare has entered the solar energy market and installed solar panels at the Pukekohe Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The 400 ground-mounted solar panels project, creating renewable energy, is the first project of its kind for Watercare. The panels help power a pump station, which sends wastewater around one kilometre away to be processed.

Fiordland, the West Coast and Aoraki Mount Cook National Park can now be easily reached by electric vehicles thanks to the installation of three new remote public charging stations.

The new stations in Mount Cook Village, Franz Josef and Te Anau were installed by Meridian Energy and YHA New Zealand as part of the government’s Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund, administered by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).