Growing a Brighter Future

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A summary of the Greens Party’s 2005 Energy Policy

Key initiatives at a glance

• Half a million solar water heating panels
• Sustainable Energy Commission
• Alternatives to pylons
• One-stop energy advisory shop for households
• No new coal
• Pay for what you use – no fixed charges

Critical Energy Issues facing New Zealand

• Peak oil
• Climate change
• Maui depletion

• Growing demand
• Fuel poverty
• Short-term thinking

Our Vision

1. Energy services reliably and affordably provided from renewable energy.
2. Smarter use of energy, with less waste and less adverse effects
3. All New Zealanders play a part in shaping our energy future

Getting there – The Greens’ proposals to address the six key issues above

Peak Oil – facing up to the end of cheap oil

1. Acknowledge the issue, inform the public and plan the transition
2. Act now to prepare for the future: fuel efficiency standards for vehicles, develop biofuels, invest in public transport, cooperate internationally

Climate change - facing up to the risk of global catastrophe

• Make it clear there will be no new use of coal for energy, cap CO2 emissions from electricity generation, and introduce a carbon charge
• Plan a transition to renewables, continuing the use of carbon credits for renewables and create a minimum ‘green energy’ contribution for electricity sales
• Significantly improve energy efficiency (see below)

Maui depletion – facing up to the end of cheap gas for electricity generation

1. Increase use of gas directly for heating and cooking rather than electricity
2. Install half-a-million solar water heating panels over five years and expand training in solar building design
3. Plan better for wind energy and encourage the use of waste wood as a fuel
4. Accelerate R&D into wave, current and tidal energy

Growing demand – facing up to the need to use energy smarter

1. Strengthen the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and accelerate the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy
2. Encourage SOEs to develop business strategies based around energy efficiency and stable energy demand
3. Increase energy efficiency standards for buildings, upgrade the building code to encourage solar design in new buildings, and require home energy labelling at time of sale
4. Expand support for home energy efficiency retrofits
5. Increase energy efficiency standards for appliances and products
6. Initiate a Government leadership programme for energy efficiency in public buildings and vehicles
7. Require Land Transport New Zealand to ensure its decisions support the transition to a sustainable energy future

Fuel poverty – facing up to the fact that everyone needs a warm home

1. Remove fixed charges for household power
2. Insulate and damp-proof more homes and create a local home advisory service with a focus on energy efficiency
3. Install solar water heating on low-income homes
4. Investigate ‘progressive pricing’

Planning and coordination – facing up to the need to think beyond tomorrow

• Electricity Commission becomes Sustainable Energy Commission with a mandate to look at all fuels, and ensure consumers and small producers have input to decisions.
• Require new large capital projects to be tested against sustainable alternatives
• Independent review of Transpower’s expansion plans and ensure Transpower focuses on alternatives to expanding transmission lines
• New electricity market rules:
  • Facilitate distributed generation
  • Facilitate demand side participation in market
  • Net metering or billing
  • Dry winter conservation plan