Unfair differences between pre-paid and normal power prices are costing vulnerable families in some parts of New Zealand hundreds of dollars a year, the Green Party said. Analysis of the cheapest normal power prices and the cheapest pre-paid power prices in Wellington shows that pre-paid customers are paying on average $542 more every year. Nationwide, pre-paid customers pay an extra $153 a year on average.* “Too many pre-paid power customers are getting a bad deal,” Green Party energy spokesperson Gareth...

The Green Party is disappointed by the decision to decline consent for Otago’s Blueskin Bay community wind farm project, which shows why Government leadership is needed to help smooth the transition to a more sustainable electricity system. “This is obviously very disappointing for the local community who have worked so hard to get their own wind farm. They should be congratulated for their vision and their work,” Green Party energy spokesperson Gareth Hughes said. “The Blueskin Bay community achieved a...

A new Consumer NZ survey showing almost 40 percent of households have had to cut back on heating their homes because of the cost of power shows that power prices are too high under National, the Green Party said. The Electricity Authority has suggested changes to the rules about how electricity lines charges are set, which are likely to result in even higher power bills for many households. “When two out of every five households are forced to go cold...

A new report on solar power and electric vehicles is further evidence that the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) isn’t working, and that the National Government needs to fix what’s holding New Zealand back from making the most of clean-energy technologies, the Green Party said. The report was produced by independent energy economists at Concept Consulting. “This report shows that National needs to join the 21st century and set up the right market structures to encourage new clean-energy technologies,” said Green...

Ongoing protests against Australian mining company Newcrest on Mt Karangahake show why minerals exploration should be publicly notified and companies need to listen to community concerns before they start mining, the Green Party said. “Exploratory mining activities should go through a public notification process before they’re consented, to give communities an opportunity to have their voices heard,” Green Party Coromandel-based MP Catherine Delahunty said. “Hauraki District Council has failed its community by shutting people out of the resource consent process...

New proposals from the Electricity Authority could force some households to pay hundreds of dollars a year more for power to subsidise big business users, making it even harder for families to warm their homes in the winter, the Green Party said today. The Electricity Authority’s (EA) reviews of transmission pricing principles and distributed generation pricing principles were released today. People in 14 regions are likely to get bigger power bills, while bills could be lower for people in 15 regions....

New Climate Minister Paula Bennett has notched up her second major fail for the climate in a week, overseeing a decision to keep burning coal at the Huntly power station until 2022, the Green Party said today.

The Green Party says the National Government must commit to stop burning coal at the Huntly power station in 2018 to achieve its own target of 90 percent renewable electricity by 2025. Veteran electricity consultant Toby Stevenson said today it is highly unlikely that New Zealand will reach a level of 90 percent renewable electricity by 2025. The statement comes in the wake of an electricity industry backlash against the decision by Genesis Energy to stop burning coal at Huntly...

Wellington bus operator Infratil’s decision to repower its iconic electric trolley buses with electric drivetrains is a victory for the environment and all those who campaigned to keep clean buses in the capital, the Green Party said. “Electric buses will be excellent for Wellington’s air quality and for reducing our contribution to climate pollution,” said Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter. “I want to congratulate Infratil for making a good decision, and also congratulate the people who signed postcards...

The Green Party is calling on electricity lines companies like Unison to join the 21st century and adapt to work with solar energy, instead of raising charges on households with solar panels. Unison controls the electricity lines network in the central North Island and is introducing an extra charge on customers with solar panels of up to 26 percent, effective today for new customers and to be phased in for existing solar customers. “This solar penalty looks like an uncompetitive...