New Zealand-Made Energy
See how New Zealand can power itself with homegrown energy. From cherry farms running on solar to households slashing their bills - the future is already here for thousands of Kiwis.
Electric machines running on New Zealand-made electricity are cheaper, more reliable and cleaner than imported fossil fuels.
The Choice
Two paths. One future.
On one side, there is the current Government's proposal to build an LNG terminal, a lack of support for electrification of transport or homes, a lack of access to cheap finance to upgrade fossil fuel machines, and a continued reliance on expensive imported fuel and dwindling domestic gas.
On the other side, there is our plan to electrify as many of our ten million machines as possible, rapidly increase our renewable generation, make better use of our remaining gas supplies, and improve our energy security with a diesel backstop.
Continuing with the foreign sourced fuel status quo is expensive, risky and polluting.
Choosing a strategy that moves us towards more New Zealand-made energy running through efficient electric machines is cheaper, more reliable and cleaner.
Which direction for New Zealand?
Status Quo
Expensive imported fuel. No plan. $55M per day leaving the country.
NZ-Made Energy
Cheaper, cleaner, more secure. Homegrown energy for ten million machines.
Dry Year Risk
LNG Import Terminal
New foreign fuel dependency. $1-2.7B. Prices doubled since Iran conflict.
Diesel Backstop + Renewables
$400-800M. 120M litres extra storage. Build renewables fast enough - may never need it.
Transport
No EV Incentives
Removed subsidies. Allowed dirtier imports. Record oil consumption.
Electrify the Fleet
4.3M vehicles on NZ electricity = 37 extra days of fuel storage.
Homes & Farms
No Solar or Battery Support
$55M/day on imported fuel. Households exposed to global price shocks.
Solar + Batteries on Homes
Keep water in hydro lakes. Save $1-2k/year. Energy independence.
Gas Transition
Hooked on Gas
Gas industry gets more time. Recent exploration found basically nothing. Homes using gas that should go to industry.
Smart Gas Transition
Help 1/3 of users electrify now. Free up remaining gas for industries that actually need it.
Energy Independence
Importing Our Problems
$500M extra per month from price rises. $1,000 per person "import tax". If the boats don't turn up, the economy grinds to a halt.
Powering Ourselves
80% of homes with solar = bigger than all NZ power plants. EV fleet = 3x more peaking power than the entire grid.
The Bottom Line
$1-2.7B
LNG terminal - paid by electricity users, no fuel security improvement.
$400-800M
Diesel backstop + renewables - 120M litres extra storage, real fuel security.
"I am not as badly affected by this crisis. My business isn't reliant on imported fuel to operate. I don't need to drive into town to get diesel because the fuel truck didn't turn up. I can run my business for less on New Zealand-made energy."Mike Casey, Cherry Orchardist & CEO
What's the current plan?
This Government has been
caught with its pants down.
New Zealand has a highly renewable electricity system but around two-thirds of our energy still comes from imported oil. Oil consumption hit record levels recently.
This is very expensive and, as we have seen following the Iranian conflict, it makes our economy extremely vulnerable to disruption.
The current Government removed incentives for EVs, made it easier to import dirtier vehicles, and has done very little to drive demand for solar and batteries.
The decision to build an LNG terminal locks us into a new foreign fuel dependency. LNG prices have effectively doubled since the Iran conflict and it is not guaranteed to reduce bills.
What's our plan?
This is not technology that's woke.
This is technology that works.
Electrification is not a sacrifice. It can enhance national security, grow prosperity and reduce emissions. We have no oil industry. But we are very good at making renewable electricity. Let's make more of it.
Think Big: Renewables
Rapid build out of geothermal, wind and grid-scale solar. Muldoon's Think Big was a reaction to the oil shocks of the 1970s. We need the same ambition now - reducing dependence on imported fuels with a structural shift, not tinkering on the edges.
Think Small: Solar + Batteries
A lot of a little is a lot. More solar on homes, farms and businesses helps keep water in the hydro lakes, which is crucial in a dry year. Our vehicle fleet and rooftop solar can be this generation's structural reset.
Electrify Transport
EVs are now a national fuel security necessity. If all 4.3 million light vehicles ran on NZ electricity, it would give us 37 extra days of fuel storage. Electrifying the fleet means our reserves last longer when we need them most.
Energy Trifecta
The energy trilemma is
old-school thinking.
The thesis of the energy trilemma is there is an inevitable trade-off between affordability, environment and energy security. But it is a false excuse.
New Zealand has unique natural advantages that create energy trifecta opportunities. A trifecta at the races might pay out $10k. An energy trifecta at home - EVs, solar, electrification - could pay out $100,000 over 15 years.
What policies do we need?
Swap fuel for finance.
We need to keep thinking big and build more cheap solar, wind and geothermal. But we also need to think small and help New Zealanders upgrade their fossil fuel machines.
Ratepayer Assistance
Swap fuel for finance. Household savings from day one - $1-2k per year. Could be accessed before end of year.
EV Salary Savings
~$200/week gets nurses, teachers and firefighters into a brand new EV with everything included. Running in 3 months.
Business Tax Relief
Businesses buy 60% of new cars. Supercharge Investment Boost for EVs with fringe benefit tax changes to keep people in jobs.
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