energy
Categories under energy
- peak oil (39)
Discrete solar technology
Written By: - Date published: 4:29 pm, December 26th, 2010 - 20 comments
Chinese manufacturing and state support is transforming the cost structure of solar technology. This in turn is helping to put in power support for the emerging use of wireless technologies in the developing world. This helps to ensure that less dirty carbon emitting technologies are not used in the developing world.It is hard to see a downside to this state initiative because it makes solar tech cheaper and more available earlier rather than later.
2011: year of the next mega-shock
Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, December 20th, 2010 - 47 comments
Liam Dann had a very good piece in the Herald the other day about rising commodity prices. Despite insipid growth, prices of food and oil, the fuels of our civilisation are through the roof. The underlying meaning of those high prices is we’re having to devote more of our resources to feeding and fueling ourselves, leaving less for anything else.
Electricity privatisation begins
Written By: - Date published: 1:58 pm, December 19th, 2010 - 39 comments
What to do if you’re a government with an ideological fixation on selling assets, which is hugely unpopular? The public will catch on if you put SOEs as full entities up for auction. So, you don’t sell off the companies. Instead, you sell off the things they own or, through bond issues, their profit streams. We’ve been warning this would happen. Now, it is.
Ideology causes power price spike
Written By: - Date published: 7:16 am, December 18th, 2010 - 30 comments
Brownlee ignored warnings that his reforms would increase power prices, not lower them as intended. Wholesale power prices have spiked from $50 to $300 per MWH. Exporters have cut production. Residential users are next. With power up and petrol breaking $2 a litre, energy is a handbrake on this supposed economic recovery.
Green China
Written By: - Date published: 1:45 pm, December 4th, 2010 - 26 comments
I confess that I am used to thinking of China as a polluter, not much concerned with environmental standards or green technology. I am very pleased indeed to find that I am wrong. Green technology is yet another area where China is drawing ahead of America and much of the West.
Unconscionable
Written By: - Date published: 3:00 pm, November 29th, 2010 - 24 comments
It seems I’m not alone in feeling outrage at attempts to bury any sensible debate on the shape and extent of New Zealand’s coal operations
Ramping up renewables
Written By: - Date published: 12:00 pm, August 28th, 2010 - 7 comments
Bryan Walker at Hot Topic looks at the large scale renewable energy projects that are being developed in various countries around the world. The contrast with the dated approach to energy from Gerry Brownlee is quite striking. That has been described as “The Government’s energy strategy prioritises drilling and mining for more oil and coal, while providing virtually no stimulation for the development of renewable energy and clean technology. It … makes no attempt to set measurable emissions reduction targets.”
The new food crisis
Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, August 13th, 2010 - 21 comments
Climate change, peak oil, resource exhaustion, and over-population are combing to cause a new food crisis. Grains supply half the calories we consume directly and feed much of our live-stock. The prices of those are skyrocketing because supply can’t match demand. Starting with Russia, major exporters are limiting the amount they send abroad to keep what they have for their own people.
A closer look: National’s Energy Strategy
Written By: - Date published: 12:25 pm, July 24th, 2010 - 10 comments
No Right Turn had an interesting post on National’s Energy Strategy or more correctly a general lack of it yesterday.
Yesterday the government released its Draft New Zealand Energy Strategy [PDF] for consultation. So, how does it compare with Labour’s 2007 version? The difference is easy to spot. Labour’s energy strategy was about shifting to a sustainable, low-emissions energy infrastructure. National’s is about finding oil.
Unusual uncertainty heralds an uncertain new world
Written By: - Date published: 6:55 am, July 23rd, 2010 - 42 comments
Despite a textbook response by the world’s major governments to the great recession, US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says the outlook remains ‘unusually uncertain’. The economic players can’t understand why the normal strong recovery hasn’t followed the recession. They don’t understand we have reached the limits to growth.
Brownlee’s power reforms hurt national interest
Written By: - Date published: 9:00 am, July 22nd, 2010 - 23 comments
We’ve seen the last minute back down on mining after tens of thousands of Kiwis stood up, we’re seeing a growing tide of anger as Kiwis realise that all our work rights and wages are for the chop.. but one policy that has avoided public criticism on the level it is getting from within the industry is Gerry Brownlee’s mad electricity reforms.
The ETS is a price signal
Written By: - Date published: 9:15 am, June 25th, 2010 - 44 comments
The point of an ETS isn’t to just blindly pay more, it is to change our behaviour so that we don’t have to. National don’t get it, so they have brought us the worst of all possible ETS schemes. Badly designed and devoid of vision. An ETS with all of the costs and none of the benefits.
Let’s not rush things
Written By: - Date published: 11:01 am, June 18th, 2010 - 7 comments
President Obama has just come out and said the US and the world needs to get off its oil addiction. But, just as we’ve been talking about climate change for nearly two centuries, before it was even a problem, and done nothing about it, Presidents have been declaring its time to end the oil age for 40 years and nothing has changed. Why can’t we get serious about saving ourselves?
Dirty oil
Written By: - Date published: 8:14 am, May 30th, 2010 - 38 comments
I knew that disasters in rich white countries get much more media than disasters anywhere else. I knew that oil was a dirty business. None the less, this article on the real costs of cheap oil surprised me.
Wind power is (too) successful?
Written By: - Date published: 12:30 pm, May 15th, 2010 - 20 comments
You sometimes have to wonder about headline writers sometimes (including myself). But take a look at this one from Bloomberg.com, a site with a focus on investment. Windmill Boom Curbs Electric Power Prices for RWE RWE AG is a power utility and wind farm operator in Germany. The reason that they’re getting reduced prices for […]
The rock and the hard place
Written By: - Date published: 10:53 am, May 7th, 2010 - 17 comments
To avoid cascading sovereign debt crises, countries need economic growth that will boost their tax so they can start getting their books in order. But good economic news sends oil prices up due to the tight supply situation and we’re close to the point where the price of oil tips economies into recession. Is this the limit to growth?
2015 is closer than you think
Written By: - Date published: 8:10 am, April 18th, 2010 - 51 comments
A recent report from the US Joint Forces Command states that “By 2012, surplus oil production capacity could entirely disappear, and as early as 2015, the shortfall in output could reach nearly 10 million barrels per day”. Are you planning for a post oil future? Why not?
One for the road
Written By: - Date published: 1:49 pm, March 22nd, 2010 - 12 comments
Colin Espiner is hanging up his umm, journalist tools?, and leaving the press gallery to be an assistant editor for The Press down in Christchurch.
I wish him the best of luck but I can’t help but leave him with one more correction of a basic mistake for the road.
Strange beauty
Written By: - Date published: 1:18 pm, March 21st, 2010 - 10 comments
A building with built in wind turbines that can generate a portion of it’s own power needs as well as feeding into the main grid? Well there’s a new building called the ‘Razor’, in south London, which can do just that, and looks like something out of science fiction. View the photo display featured in the Guardian.
Greenpeace kicks coal in the Facebook
Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, February 26th, 2010 - 3 comments
Nothing like a good IT stoush, particularly of the David and Goliath variety. Greenpeace has blown the whistle on Facebook’s use of coal to power its new data center in (note: renewable-rich) Oregon. The supposedly forward-looking social networking site picked this energy dinosaur (and the world’s leading cause of climate change), because it figures the […]
TEDTalks 2010: Bill Gates on energy and climate change
Written By: - Date published: 12:07 pm, February 21st, 2010 - 20 comments
At TED2010, Bill Gates unveils his vision for the world’s energy future, describing the need for “miracles†to avoid planetary catastrophe and explaining why he’s backing a dramatically different type of nuclear reactor. The necessary goal? Zero carbon emissions globally by 2050.
Too far, Fran
Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, January 16th, 2010 - 42 comments
Despite almost never agreeing with Fran O’Sullivan, I have respect for her. She comes from the ACT-right and her pieces reflect that but she argues honestly and intelligently, the latter in particular being in short supply in this country’s political discourse. So, I’m a bit saddened by her piece this morning: If Wellington was devastated […]
Experts: Power reforms wasteful, expensive
Written By: - Date published: 1:10 pm, December 11th, 2009 - 18 comments
Associate Professor Earl Bardsley, Waikato University: taking Tekapo A and B power stations from Meridian and giving them to Genesis means Meridian must now rely on a rival company, through some kind of protocol, to provide a significant amount of the water inflow to Lake Pukaki, which supplies Meridian’s line of Waitaki River power stations. […]
Brownlee destroys a free market choice. Shut Whirinaki to get it back.
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, December 10th, 2009 - 26 comments
From the Meridian Energy web site. Meridian Energy Limited has confirmed it has suspended offering new Renewable Energy Notes under the investment statement dated 29 October 2009 following the decision from the Ministerial Review into the Electricity Market to transfer ownership of two of its South Island hydro stations to its sister SOE Genesis. Energy […]
No spark in Nats’ power reforms
Written By: - Date published: 4:34 pm, December 9th, 2009 - 39 comments
A friend just texted: “Brownlee’s power reforms look relatively benign, what’s the catch?” It’s true, Brownlee’s reforms are just minor tinkering. The only thing of note is the needless little kick in the guts for environmentalists by making Meridian take on Whirinaki. And that tells us something. For all National’s bluster in opposition about power […]
Ethical meat on its way
Written By: - Date published: 7:58 am, December 4th, 2009 - 20 comments
Jon Stewart covers developments in the science around making meat without raising and killing an animal. Jon has a laugh of course but this is actually really exciting stuff. I’ve been following the developing science around this for a while. The upsides are huge. You can grow meat without the animal. That means no sow […]
Brownlee: Not an ardent follower of fashion. Merely obsolete.
Written By: - Date published: 2:35 pm, November 11th, 2009 - 15 comments
One of the things that has surprised me about the government and Brownlee’s energy policy is that it is so mundane and 20th century. In every other area of their political electoral strategy we saw a pithy slogan, often pinched from overseas, substituting for policy and dumbed it down to the level of the dittoheads […]
- What we should have done with Candace Owens is nothing
Immigration NZ could have made any decision on the controversial speaker’s visa and it would’ve been better than a minister intervening. It’s happened again. As the world turned and things progressed in their natural way, we as a country have managed to trip over our own feet, face first into ...2 weeks ago - Minister Reverses Visa Denial, Allows Candace Owens Access To New Zealand: Massive Win For Kiwis’ ...
Those calling for censorship should take note: denying Owens’ entry into the country has simply widened interest in her. Those who disagree with Owens should channel that into counter speech and peaceful protest – cancellation won’t get us anywhere. ...2 weeks ago - Gone By Lunchtime: A plan to have a plan about some ferries
Ready the lifeboats: the coalition boat appears to be listing. Twelve months after the coalition government torpedoed the new ferry plan it had inherited, along with a wild cost blowout, from the previous government, a much heralded announcement finally arrived on Wednesday, and it provided plenty more questions that it ...2 weeks ago
- Govt Acting With Too Much Haste To Upend Established Flexible Work Practices
Te Kawa Mataaho today issued new flexible work guidelines just days after the PSA filed action with the Employment Relations Authority challenging the Government’s legal right to do so. ...2 weeks ago
- A love letter to community newspapers
Bethany Rolston looks back at the three years she wrote for the Te Awamutu Courier, one of the 14 NZME community newspapers set to close before Christmas. Looking back at the three years I was a journalist at the Te Awamutu Courier feels like a happy sort of fever ...2 weeks ago
- The Spinoff’s best NZ book covers of 2024
In which Claire Mabey judges this year’s New Zealand books by their covers. Among a sea of books some are more alluring than others, like tropical fishes glinting. The art of the book cover is a serious matter: the cover has to help the book stand out as well as ...2 weeks ago
- Will Taxpayer Bailouts Of Failing Skifield Never End?
“It’s time for the abuse of taxpayer money to stop, and start investing in things that will actually benefit hardworking Kiwis.” ...2 weeks ago
- Modern Slavery Legislation Drafted To Drive Cross Party Political Support For NZ Law
A team of independent experts has drafted legislation ready for immediate introduction to Parliament in a bid to fast-track progress on modern slavery laws with cross-party backing. ...2 weeks ago
- A brief history of celebrity cameos on Shortland Street
Ahead of Conan O’Brien’s Shortland Street cameo tonight, Alex Casey looks back at some of the more memorable cameos to grace Ferndale. Nothing signals the festive season better than a tall redhead American late show host visiting our favourite fictional hospital. Tonight, Conan O’Brien will don a pair of grape ...2 weeks ago
- Help Me Hera: How do I navigate Auckland traffic without going insane?
The selfishness of this city’s drivers never fails to ruin my day. How do I get from A to B without wishing punishment and retribution on my fellow commuters? Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nz Help Me Hera! Why do I see Auckland driver behaviour (not letting people merge, tailgating, etc) ...2 weeks ago
- Own goal? Govt sets new $4b goalpost for ferries
This new Number of the Day is based on 42 very, very costly words in an old Treasury report, and some ‘spotty’ costings out of China and Korea The post Own goal? Govt sets new $4b goalpost for ferries appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago - An ‘announcement of an announcement’ of two new boats
The wait for replacement Interislander ferries will drag on until 2029, as ministers reveal a plan to buy two smaller ships, reports Joel MacManus reports from parliament. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Crown company created to procure two new Interislander ferries by 2029 The long-awaited ...2 weeks ago
- Communities swamped by torrent of new water reforms
Without the fire and fanfare of the previous Govt’s three waters reforms, the coalition has this week quietly introduced a 100,000-word whale of a water services bill The post Communities swamped by torrent of new water reforms appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- From elusive principles to the year’s biggest loser – 2024 had it all
A lighthearted celebration: Newsroom’s political team awards the coveted annual political prizes – from Biggest Loser to Teen Choice The post From elusive principles to the year’s biggest loser – 2024 had it all appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- National Iwi Chairs Forum Open Letter To King Charles
Signatories hope the letter will resonate with King Charles’s sense of justice and intervene to support a peaceful resolution to the damage this government is creating across communities. ...2 weeks ago
- The world in 2024, in one sentence
From ‘testing’ to ‘tiring’, there’s a clear theme. As 2024 draws to a close, we asked our pantheon of politics watchers to describe the world this year in one sentence, or even a single word. Here’s what they came up with. Madeleine Chapman (editor, The Spinoff) Relentless. Eric Crampton (chief ...2 weeks ago
- The inside story of Auckland’s Korean culinary boom
From fried chicken and franchises to fusion and fine dining, Korean cuisine has taken over Tāmaki Makaurau, fuelled by the same ‘soft power’ that made K-pop go global and mukbang go viral. Jihee Junn charts the rise. In 1991, Il Mee on Auckland’s Queen Street became the first Korean ...2 weeks ago
- The finalised second Emissions Reduction Plan is out – what’s in it and what’s not?
New Zealand’s second Emissions Reduction Plan has just been finalised, with eight key policies and a ‘technology-led’ approach. Shanti Mathias takes a look. This is an updated version of a piece that was published in July, when the draft Emissions Reduction Plan was released OK, so… what’s an Emissions Reduction ...2 weeks ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 12 December
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp');Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions.The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 12 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- Hopes for grand coalition on modern slavery law
Can Labour and National put aside their differences to take action on a growing concern? The post Hopes for grand coalition on modern slavery law appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- Daily crossword, Thursday 12 December
The post Daily crossword, Thursday 12 December appeared first on Newsroom. ...2 weeks ago
- Xmas: Best novels of 2024
Issues and personal identities of race were at the absolute foreground of five of the best works of fiction of the year, each by writers of colour; the Pākehā authors of the other five outstanding works of fiction skirted the issue by largely avoiding having anything to do with Māori ...2 weeks ago
- NZ at a crossroads, where ‘back on track’ could easily be the wrong track
Opinion: As the 2024 political year draws to a close, New Zealand stands uncertainly at a series of crossroads. When the year began, there was some resonance with the new coalition Government’s commitment to get New Zealand “back on track”, but now, the polls say increasing numbers of people think ...2 weeks ago
- People can’t be measured on a balance sheet
Opinion: Recent discussions on proposals to exclude humanities and social sciences from future Marsden Fund grants have raised widespread concern. Yet this controversy has also sparked an overdue conversation about the value of the humanities and social sciences.These discussions pose fundamental questions:Can the importance of research outcomes always be measured ...2 weeks ago
- Final Emissions Reduction Plan ‘Woefully Inadequate’ – WWF-New Zealand
WWF-New Zealand’s CEO, Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, says the utter lack of ambition in the plan shows the Government is not serious about tackling emissions in line with New Zealand’s international commitments and the Prime Minister’s own ‘performance ...2 weeks ago
- Council Urges Government To Drop Treaty Principles Bill
The Council has particular concerns that the Bill would negatively impact the trust and collaboration underpinning its long-standing relationship with Ngāi Tahu. ...2 weeks ago
- ‘A sick wish fulfilment fantasy, so badly written’: Harry Ricketts’ biggest book regret
Welcome to The Spinoff Books Confessional, in which we get to know the reading habits of Aotearoa writers, and guests. This week: Harry Ricketts – poet, literary scholar and author of memoir First Things and around 30 other books. The book I wish I’d written Byron’s comic verse-novel Don Juan. ...2 weeks ago
- Pure SEO Report Reveals Carbon Footprint Of New Zealand MPs
The critical analysis of MPs’ travel emissions reveals inefficiencies and discrepancies across all major parties. National leads in both expenses and emissions, with Labour close behind, reflecting the significant environmental impact of the dominant parties. ...2 weeks ago
- Kirihimete gift guide 2024: cool stuff from Māori and Pasifika-led brands
Our legendary guide is back to help you through another silly season. Note: When we first published this guide six years ago, it was about finding the small labels and makers out there and pointing hungry shoppers in their direction. Since then, there has been huge and exciting growth in ...2 weeks ago
- Five classic summer road trips, with burgers to match
Lollies and chips can only sustain you so far. Here are five of our favourite New Zealand road trips, with burger pairings to enjoy along the way. Auckland to Northland I know not everyone is a fan of new roads being built, but the drive from Auckland to Northland is ...2 weeks ago
- Stuff ‘consciously uncouples’ into two separate digital and print businesses
Exclusive: Leaked emails and documents show that the media giant will soon be two legal entities – opening up a range of options for owner Sinead Boucher. Duncan Greive analyses the move. News media giant Stuff will soon be two separate businesses, as it splits into one built around the ...2 weeks ago
- With its daily news bulletin scrapped, what’s next for Whakaata Māori?
With funding stagnant since 2008, the broadcaster is racing to adapt to a digital world – and a hard pivot might be the key to ensuring its survival. Last week, Whakaata Māori announced the end of its flagship daily news bulletin, Te Ao Māori News, which has been a fixture ...2 weeks ago
- PSA Takes Legal Action To Stop Govt Cutting Working From Home Arrangements
The PSA has filed a claim with the Employment Relations Authority to stop the Government restricting flexible workplace practices, including the recent directive on working from home. "The PSA is firmly of the view that the Government is unable to do ...2 weeks ago
- Greyhound racing sprints toward the finish line
Some in the industry say a small number of negligent trainers ‘buggered it’ for everyone else, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund for The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...2 weeks ago
- Auckland Council opposes new housing because motorists won’t be able to see a hill
Over the motorway from Sylvia Park is Mutukāroa / Hamlins Hill Regional Park. Parts of it can be seen from the motorway and Auckland Council is fighting to keep that view sacred. If there’s one rule for being a safe driver, it’s keeping your eyes on the road. That may ...2 weeks ago
- How does New Zealand produce so many successful child actors?
Alex Casey takes a look back at the long history of Aotearoa’s child stars shining on the world stage and asks: are they our greatest export? If you too feel as if your sense of national pride is sinking into oblivion like a pavlova left outside in the forthcoming hottest ...2 weeks ago
- The most electric place in Auckland this year? Penrose 1061
A much maligned old friend is reborn as a field of dreams. In a year with too few causes to celebrate, in a city that still feels a few chips short of a scoop, one beacon shone bright and long and radiant. In the perfunctory suburb of Penrose, postcode 1061, ...2 weeks ago
- A Historic Victory For Greyhounds In New Zealand
"This is a huge win for greyhounds across New Zealand and sets a powerful precedent on the global stage," says Danette Wereta, spokesperson for the Animal Justice Party. "There are so many amazing ways to have fun that don’t harm animals or put them ...2 weeks ago
- No More Complicity! Aotearoa National Rally For Palestine
For over a year, thousands of New Zealanders have joined the millions across the world in taking to the streets to call for an end to the genocide in Gaza. ...2 weeks ago
- PSA Demand End To Sexist Pay Discrimination
"Thousands more women employed or funded by government are moving through the pay equity process to address the undervaluation of their work," Davies said. ...2 weeks ago
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