Articles from ‘elocal magazine’ in ‘Energy’

New Zealand’s political parties broadly agree the country needs substantially more electricity and that households need relief from rising power costs. The real election argument is over who should finance new generation, how much control the major electricity companies should retain, and whether household solar can finally give consumers meaningful power of their own Power has become more than another election policy. It sits underneath…

Canadian-owned Methanex is preparing to effectively close its New Zealand operations after concluding that declining natural gas availability makes continued methanol production unsustainable. The decision threatens jobs and economic activity across Taranaki, while simultaneously releasing significant gas supplies for electricity generation and other industrial users. eLocal Report: Based on reporting by RNZ HERE. · New Zealand’s largest…

A New Zealand researcher is calling for a major rethink of how the country supports vulnerable households through winter, arguing that long-term investment in residential solar power could deliver greater benefits than the current Winter Energy Payment scheme. By elocal Business Desk · The proposal comes as power prices continue to rise and concerns grow about household energy affordability and New Zealand's long-term energy resilience. · Is…

The New Zealand Government has confirmed it will proceed with plans for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal, while abandoning an earlier proposal to fund the project through a levy on electricity bills. By elocal Business Desk · Energy Minister Simeon Brown announced the decision during a speech to the Auckland Business Chamber, describing LNG as the most practical solution available to protect the country against electricity…

New Zealand's fuel and energy security challenges continue to generate strong debate, and recent discussions within the NZ Fuel Watch community highlight growing public concern about the country's long-term resilience. The conversation began with a seemingly simple question from Karl regarding the tanker Hafnia Falcon. Observing the vessel repeatedly moving between ports, Karl wondered whether the ship was delivering fuel or collecting…

by Tyler Durden · Summary · Trump: "The [price of] gasoline and the oil will go down rapidly once the war’s over." GOP Sen. Collins switches vote on war powers. · Bessent on X: "Amid the impact of Economic Fury, Iran’s currency has hit an all-time low. The Iranian people deserve a new era, which the corrupt and shambolic Iranian regime cannot provide." Signals hope for uprising, regime change. · Israeli Defense Minister Katz: "soon we will…

New Zealand has been approached by the United States to join a potential multinational effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy shipping routes. · The passage has been largely shut since the escalation of the Middle East conflict, sending shockwaves through global oil markets and raising concerns over energy security. · According to reporting, the Trump administration has instructed US embassies to lobby…

After meeting with Marco Rubio, foreign minister Winston Peters says he made sure US understands ‘significant economic impacts on New Zealand and Pacific’ Eva Corlett · New Zealand has called on the US to send fuel tankers to the Pacific to help alleviate some of the significant economic and fuel pressure caused by the war in the Middle East. · Winston Peters, New Zealand’s foreign minister, met the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, in…

Not Resource Poor — Policy Poor · New Zealand has been told for decades that it is an energy-dependent nation. · Too small. Too remote. Too reliant on global supply. · But the data tells a different story — not of scarcity, but of system design. · The Numbers Don’t Lie · Between April 2020 and March 2021, New Zealand produced about 1.48 billion litres of oil, condensate and LPG, exported about 1.11 billion litres of that total, and imported…

The New Zealand Government is now considering pausing planned fuel tax increases, as rising global energy prices begin to bite into households and businesses already under pressure. The move signals a growing recognition inside Government that the current fuel shock is not temporary—but part of a broader structural disruption to global energy supply. · Tax Increases Put on Hold · Planned increases to fuel levies—originally intended to support…