Hon Gerry Brownlee - Press Releases

Energy savings campaign launched

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:07:00 +1200

A high profile television campaign has been launched to help New Zealanders increase the energy efficiency of their homes and businesses, Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.

The new prime time campaign, called The Energy Spot, will screen three nights a week (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday) at 6.50pm, on four television channels, as well as 13 other times during the week.

The Energy Spot will cover a range of topics of interest to households and businesses, from insulating houses to efficient driving choices, renewable energy options, building design, and more.

"New Zealand households spend about $3.5 billion on energy each year. For our businesses, the figure is close to $13.5 billion a year. There are massive savings to be made from using our energy more efficiently," said Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee.

Research by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) shows many New Zealanders are keen to reduce their energy usage but are unsure how to do so.

"This new campaign will give large numbers of people clear, practical information to help them make the most of the energy they use both at home and at work," Mr Brownlee said.

"As well as saving money, using our energy more wisely improves the health and comfort of our homes, makes for more competitive businesses, protects our environment and reduces our carbon emissions," he said.

"We want these spots to demonstrate simple no-cost or low-cost actions New Zealanders can take right now to save energy, which benefit both them and the country."

"For example, if just one out of ten households who watch the show avoid leaving appliances on standby, the country would save over $10 million or enough electricity to run over 5,000 homes," said Mr Brownlee.

"Thanks to the success of the insulation campaign we're already running, more New Zealanders are conscious of the benefits they can get from energy efficiency, both in terms of their health and comfort, and also cutting energy wastage.

"This campaign will build on that success and encourage more New Zealanders to take advantage of the savings that are available to them right now," he said.

The Energy Spot was launched by Mr Brownlee in the Beehive today. The spots start screening on October 4^th and the campaign is being delivered by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

Facts and figures:

The Energy Spot campaign is costing $4 million dollars to run over the next 12 months. Further details of how to make energy savings will be available on the EECA website.

EECA estimates that each household can easily save 10% on their electricity bills by taking a few simple steps. That works out to savings of about $200 per household, or $320 million in savings each year across the whole country.

Reducing our electricity generation by 10% equates to a reduction of 760,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year. Assuming a future carbon charge of $25 a tonne, this is worth $19 million to the economy.

An average household spends about $2,200 a year on transport fuel. By using a few simple driving and maintenance tips, people can reduce this by about 20%.

Reducing our consumption of transport fuels by just 10% equates to a reduction of almost 1.5 million tonnes greenhouse gas emissions per year, worth $37 million to the economy.

Most businesses can save between 10 and 20% of their energy costs. Across all businesses, that adds up to between $1.35 and $2.7 billion every year that could be going to the bottom line.

Renewable power generation increases

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:51:00 +1200

The Minister of Energy and Resources says a high level of renewable electricity generation has been recorded in the latest New Zealand Energy Quarterly release this afternoon.

The data collected by the Ministry of Economic Development shows that in the June quarter 70 percent of electricity came from renewable sources.

This was the third consecutive quarter where generation from renewable sources was 70 percent or more. Renewable generation is on track to be over 70 percent for the calendar year for the first time since 2004.

The Minister for Energy and Resources, Gerry Brownlee, says favourable hydro-lake flows this year meant higher use of hydro generation compared with the same time last year.

"This also meant less need to use thermal power stations, in fact generation from fossil fuels was collectively down by 32% compared with the June quarter last year," said Mr Brownlee.

Total emissions from greenhouse gases has increased over the June quarter in line with the normal seasonal variation from higher winter demand being largely met from fossil fuels, particularly coal. However, total greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation this quarter were 23% lower.

Other key findings:

Diesel consumption was down seven percent. The new fuel consumption statistics for the June quarter showed the global recession dented local demand for liquid fuels. Significant reductions in demand across all fuels and economic sectors occurred this quarter.

And this quarter the total amount of gas flaring was higher than in the preceding two quarters due to the arrival of the Maari field where all gas is flared.

Details about the data can be found on the MED website.

www.med.govt.nz/energy/nzeq.

8000 homes insulated in 8 weeks

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:33:00 +1200

Latest figures show over 8000 New Zealand homes have been retrofitted in the first eight weeks of the government's insulation scheme.

Energy and Resources Minister, Gerry Brownlee, says he's delighted with the latest data which shows both the popularity of the government scheme and the delivery being performed by EECA.

"While the first month's operation indicated this scheme is popular, the second month shows a significant step-up in the number of homes being retrofitted.

"In the month of August 4,889 homes had insulation and/or heaters installed, which is a solid increase on the 3,282 homes in July. It means in total 8,171 homes have been retrofitted in the first two months" said Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee.

"The government committed spending $323 million over four years to insulate 180 thousand homes, so I have to say we won't have any difficulty achieving that target."

"Having retrofitted over 8 thousand homes in just eight weeks is impressive, bearing in mind we are at the early stages and EECA is still gearing-up by accrediting more providers," said Mr Brownlee.

"Its also pleasing to see who is taking up the scheme, the figures show that 57% of those who had their houses retrofitted in August were low income earners, the other 47% were general income homes."

"What we are seeing here is a clear trend of low to middle income New Zealanders embracing the scheme with third party funding working well and a strong appetite for councils, banks and power companies to be funders as well."

"I have seen the results of the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development online survey on the scheme and obviously it confirms what we already know, this scheme is very popular."

"However I think the conclusion that high income earners are more likely to apply for the scheme than middle income earners can't be sustained. I gather only a few high income earners participated in the online survey. It also runs against what is actually happening out there in the two months of operation," said Mr Brownlee.

$4 million West Coast Timber Settlement

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:50:00 +1200

The government is making a $4 million dollar payment to four West Coast timber mills to settle a long running grievance with the Timberlands West Coast SOE.

Economic Development Minister, Gerry Brownlee, says an ex gratia payment is being made to address the failure of Timberlands to supply its forecast of timber harvest from 2000 when indigenous logging stopped

"The government commissioned an independent assessment by KordaMentha to assess the actions of Timberland. KordaMentha concluded Timberlands may have not acted fairly to the West Coast timber industry over log projections," said Mr Brownlee.

"A good faith ex gratia payment has been offered to the mills which made significant investment decisions to process pruned logs based on over-estimated projections," he said.

"The affected mills agreed between themselves how they would split the total payment. This is a good outcome that I am pleased resolves a long-standing grievance," said Mr Brownlee.

The mills are Westco Lagan Ltd and Westimber Ltd, (which are both still operating), W.E. Whiley and Co Ltd (placed in receivership in 2008) and Inangahua Sawmilling Ltd, which closed in 2008.

Mr Brownlee said that while the government had no legal obligation to compensate the mills it was prepared to make the ex gratia payment as a full and final settlement over any future claims the mills might make.

"I hope this closes the final chapter on this saga," said Mr Brownlee.

National tourism energy efficiency programme launched

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:36:47 +1200

Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee has welcomed the launch of a national programme to improve the energy performance of New Zealand’s tourism businesses.

“The results from the pilot programme, a joint project between the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) and the Tourism Industry Association (TIA), showed this was a worthwhile investment.

If all of the 16,000 tourism businesses in New Zealand made similar savings to businesses in the pilot programme, that’s nearly $500 million dollars a year that could be invested elsewhere,” said Mr Brownlee.

The Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme was launched by the Associate Minister of Tourism, Jonathan Coleman, in Auckland today.

It will improve the competitiveness and environmental credentials of New Zealand tourism businesses through better energy management.

“This programme provides practical assistance for tourism businesses in the accommodation and transport sectors to use energy management to reduce costs, reduce environmental impacts, retain jobs and keep thriving,” said Mr Brownlee.

“Tourism is a $20 billion industry that contributes close to 10% of New Zealand’s GDP and employs one in ten New Zealanders, Mr Brownlee said. “It is an industry that is vital for our economy.”

“It is also an industry that relies on New Zealand’s unique natural environment as the main tourism product,” he said.

Participating businesses receive a detailed energy audit, identifying potential dollar and energy savings, at approximately half the normal price. The businesses also receive free mentoring and assistance in implementing energy saving opportunities.

The programme was first developed as a regional pilot in 2008. Twelve tourism businesses identified potential energy savings worth $375,000 a year, and annual savings of over 700 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to taking 170 cars off the road.

Results from the programme are then shared with other tourism businesses to encourage widespread replication.

The government, through EECA, contributed $160,000 to the pilot project. An additional $287,000 has been allocated to the next phase of the project which will audit a further 14 tourism operations.

Home insulation retrofits top 7000 in eight weeks

nospam@example.com (admin) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:15:00 +1200

The Government’s home insulation scheme has resulted in more than 7000 New Zealand homes being insulated or fitted with clean heat in the eight weeks since the scheme started.

Prime Minister John Key, Energy & Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee and Green Party co-leader Russel Norman today visited the Mangere home of Gaznafar and Shabina Buksh, and their three children, to mark the two month milestone of the Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart scheme.

The Buksh family are having ceiling and underfloor insulation put in, as well as a cylinder wrap and moisture barrier, and heat pump. The installation is being done by Eco Insulation, a North Island company that has employed 50 new staff to deal with increased demand since the scheme’s launch on 1 July.

As well as the subsidy from the scheme, the family are getting funding under the ASB Community Trust’s Snug Homes programme.

“It’s very pleasing to see so many New Zealand families taking up the home insulation scheme. It’s tracking well ahead of target, which is good news,” says Mr Key.

“Warmer, drier homes means energy savings, lower power bills and better health outcomes. The sooner the insulation goes in, the sooner those benefits start mounting up for people.

“It is pleasing that this project is also creating jobs around the country. Most providers registered under the scheme have already hired new staff to cope with the demand, while insulation manufacturers have increased production, creating more employment.”

Mr Brownlee says a new network of providers will be signed up to install the insulation from 1 October, and an announcement will be made soon on which companies have been selected as long-term providers under Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart.

“This will mean even more suppliers on the ground to deliver the scheme, which will mean more jobs, as well as more homes insulated. Some homeowners have had to wait for a provider.

“I am asking people to be patient while the scheme is still gearing up, but the numbers show that even before we’ve reached full capacity many thousands of families are already benefiting.

“Bringing in more companies will mean people can get their homes attended to faster, and start reaping the benefits earlier.”

Background

The Government announced funding of $323 million in the May Budget for a programme to fund insulation and clean heat in New Zealand homes.

Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart was launched on 1 July. The programme, run by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, will insulate 180,000 homes over four years.

Between 1 July and 1 August 2009, 3282 homes were insulated and/ or fitted with clean heat under the scheme. EECA’s tracking shows that more than 4000 homes have been retrofitted during August. Exact totals, including a regional break-down, will be released mid-September.

For more information see www.energywise.govt.nz

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Aus & NZ Join in Mega Science Bid

nospam@example.com (admin) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:17:00 +1200

The Australian and New Zealand governments have agreed to join forces to bid for the A$2.5 billion (NZ$3.1 billion) international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project.

The formal arrangement will be signed by New Zealand’s Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee and the Australian Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, at the Australia-New Zealand Leadership Forum in Sydney this morning.

The SKA is a large-scale, new-generation radio-telescope that will be by far the most powerful of its type in the world, with a discovery potential 10,000 times greater than current instruments.

The SKA will see up to four thousand antennas spread over a five thousand kilometre baseline to create a single deep space listening device.

The telescope – able to see back to the formation of the first stars – is one of the world’s most significant mega-science projects – on a par with the Large Hadron Collider in Europe. Australia and New Zealand are one of the two shortlisted sites – the other is in Southern Africa.

“The SKA project promises to be a top global science project of the 21st century, using one of the world’s most powerful computers, to explore fundamental questions in science,” Mr Brownlee said.

“Extending the configuration of the SKA to include New Zealand will significantly add to the scientific outcomes of the project and could possibly see two stations constructed in New Zealand with an array of radio telescopes,” said Mr Brownlee.

The agreement follows discussions on the SKA between Australian and New Zealand Prime Ministers over the past 12 months. It commits both countries to supporting SKA-related industry opportunities and promoting their industry capabilities internationally as part of this process.

Senator Carr said: “New Zealand’s participation will strengthen the bid to host the SKA, one of the world’s great science projects, making the bid truly international.

“New Zealand is crucial to building the global collaboration required for the SKA to reach its full potential.

“If our bid is successful, the SKA will not only significantly increase Australia’s and New Zealand’s scientific capabilities; it will result in economic benefits and spinoffs in a number of areas, including supercomputing, data transmission, renewable energy, construction and manufacturing,” Senator Carr said.

“From New Zealand’s point of view this agreement will also be a stepping stone to foster strong links and cooperation between Australian and New Zealand industry, particularly in the high-technology sectors,” Mr Brownlee said.

Final decisions on the SKA, including the host site, are not expected until 2012, with construction expected to run for six to eight years. The project currently involves a total of 19 countries.

For more information, including pictures and animations, visit www.ska.gov.au or www.skatelescope.org

Background on the SKA

If the New Zealand and Australian bid to host the SKA is successful, the SKA instrument will consist of up to 4,000 antennas and other devices spread from Western Australia to New Zealand. These radio telescopes will all operate in unison as one instrument.

The term “Square Kilometre Array” refers to the fact that when fully operational, the large number of radio telescopes will provide a combined collecting area of one million square metres (i.e. one square kilometre).

Increasing a telescope's collecting area increases its sensitivity. Thanks to higher sensitivity, weaker signals emitted by more distant or fainter celestial objects, can be received. One of the aims of the SKA is to receive signals from the early Universe – the most distant objects that can be observed. These signals are very faint and hence require a very sensitive telescope so they can be detected. This means the SKA needs to be very large.

Designing such a scope will require vigorous technological developments in computing, engineering, communications and radio frequency devices. Internationally the SKA program is being progressed by a consortium of more than 50 institutions from 19 countries, including Australia, New Zealand and countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

The cost of the SKA is currently estimated at A$2.5 billion (NZ$3.1 billion). It is expected that financing for the construction and operation of the SKA will come from international partner governments. New Zealand and Australia are members of an international group considering a range of issues relating to the SKA including governance, design, procurement and financing.SKA Science

The SKA will help to answer fundamental questions about the universe. The five key science drivers for the SKA have been identified as:

Cradle of life – this project will explore whether there are Earth-like planets around other stars, and whether they host intelligent life, thus helping to answer the eternal question of whether there is life elsewhere in the universe.
Probing the Dark Ages – this will explore the first black holes and stars, and help to answer the question of what happened after the big bang and before the first stars and galaxies formed.
The origin and evolution of cosmic magnetism - this will explore how magnetism affects the formation of stars and galaxies, and what maintains the present-day magnetic fields of galaxies, stars and planets.
Strong field tests of gravity using pulsars and black holes - this will help to test whether Einstein's theory of general relativity is the last word on gravity, for example, whether its predictions for black holes are correct, and whether the cosmos is filled with a gravitational wave background.
Galaxy evolution, cosmology, and dark matter - this will explore how galaxies are born and how they evolve, and seek a better understanding of the "dark energy" that fills the majority of the universe.

For more information on the Australia and New Zealand SKA bid visit www.ska.gov.au. Further information on SKA is available at www.skatelescope.org. Pictures and animations can be accessed on both sites.

Insulation ahead of target

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:18:00 +1200

Energy and Resources Minister, Gerry Brownlee, says the government ‘s home insulation scheme is exceeding expectations in its first month of operation.

The Warm-Up New Zealand Heat Smart scheme started on July 1st.

"In the first four weeks I am pleased to report that 3,282 homes have been retrofitted," said Mr Brownlee.

"The figures collated by EECA show that 2,519 homes received insulation only, 255 received insulation and a clean heat appliance, and 508 with just a clean heating appliance."

"In terms of the types of houses being retrofitted 1,983 (60 percent) of the homes are owned by Community Service Card holders, and 1,299 are general income houses.

"The first month is a very positive indicator for the scheme. The government set a target of insulating 27,500 houses in the first year and this start-up month indicates we will easily achieve that," said Mr Brownlee.

"This has also been achieved in just the early roll out stage and before contracts have been signed to bring on even more service providers," he said.

"EECA has recently opened applications for new service providers. It received 249 applications which are currently being processed. New providers will be operational from 1 October, which will herald a serious step-up in insulation work," said Mr Brownlee.

"I am aware there has been some suggestion at this early stage that the government grants have inflated prices, although the advice I've received from EECA is that there is no indication of a widespread problem."

"And it is important to make the point the scheme is designed to make sure there is no price gouging. For example the new contracts given to providers from October 1st will ensure that only service providers offering the best prices and quality standards are selected to deliver the programme," said Mr Brownlee.

The applications also allow EECA to gauge the appropriate market prices and to only enter into contracts with service providers who will offer acceptable prices.

"It also means once contracts are signed, service providers cannot increase their pricing without negotiating with EECA. There is also an auditing process undertaken by EECA which will monitor prices being charged and take the action of cancelling service provider contracts if necessary," he said.

"Can I also thank the Greater Wellington Regional Council for its decision today to participate in the scheme from September of this year. "

The Council will provide a grant of up to $2,600 per ratepayer to fund the remaining cost of insulation and heating above the government subsidy.

Ratepayers will be able to repay this grant through their rates over a 10-year period.

"This is a welcome and useful development because it removes any up front costs for Wellington ratepayers who wish to insulate their homes," said Mr Brownlee.

Electricity review released

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:19:00 +1200

The Energy and Resources Minister, Gerry Brownlee, says the Ministerial Electricity Market Review released today is an opportunity to address consumer concerns about rising power bills and security of supply.

The Ministerial Review offers a series of recommendations on improving electricity sector performance and was released today for a five week consultation period.

The review was conducted by the Technical Advisory Group appointed by the Minister and chaired by Dr Brent Layton with assistance by officials from the Ministry of Economic Development.

“I welcome the document. It is a well written report which offers practical solutions to many complex problems facing the electricity sector,” said Mr Brownlee.

“The primary goal of the review is to tackle the steep price increase to the consumer power bill over the last ten years, and to examine ways to reduce vulnerability in dry years,” said Mr Brownlee.

The review offers a range of recommendations including:

governance improvements with the Electricity Commission replaced with an Electricity Market Authority.
line companies allowed back into retailing
compensation payments to be made to consumers if they face conservation campaigns.
a reallocation of assets among SOE generator-retailers to increase competition in wholesale and retail markets.

“It is important to emphasise that this is a discussion document and my officials and I look forward to receiving feedback on the proposals - before any final decisions are made,” said Mr Brownlee.

“The government does find many of the recommendations appealing, including a system of offering compensation to consumers when asked to save power during a conservation campaign, ” he said.

“This idea really does create a big incentive for generators to manage their resource and ensure conservation campaigns are a last resort. If conservation measures are needed the consumer compensation will be an acknowledgement for inconvenience,” said Mr Brownlee.

“Ministers have discussed restructuring SOE generation assets and have ruled out option one and two as too costly and risky, and need to be convinced about the third option (ie asset swaps between Meridian and Genesis, he said.”

“Can I commend the Technical Advisory Group and MED officials for their work on this report. It is a very useful contribution and offers solutions to many difficult areas in the electricity sector I am especially pleased with the way it tackles the pricing issues which trouble many homes,” he said.

A five week period has been put aside for consultation. A copy of the report can be found at the MED website: www.med.govt.nz/electricity-market-review.

Electricity Market Review – Q&As

Why is the government reviewing the electricity market?

The government is concerned about security of supply, the affordability of electricity, and sector governance. The review is a timely and effective way to consider several reports and analyses on electricity market performance, and to develop proposals for improvements.

What is the objective of the review?

To improve performance of the electricity market and its institutions and governance arrangements in order to better achieve the government’s objectives for the electricity sector. A well-functioning electricity market should provide a reliable supply of electricity at competitive prices, that is, prices which are as low as possible consistent with ensuring reliable supply over the long term.

Who undertook the review?

An independent Electricity Technical Advisory Group (appointed on 1 April 2009) and the Ministry of Economic Development. The ETAG members are Dr Brent Layton (Chair), Miriam Dean QC, David Russell, Professor Lewis Evans, Stephen Franks and Toby Stevenson.

What is the scope of the review?

The Minister asked the review team to assess the performance of the electricity market, institutions and governance to date; identify problem areas; assess to the degree possible the costs and benefits of different reform options; and make recommendations to improve electricity market performance. A public discussion document outlining the review team’s preliminary recommendations is now being released for public consultation.

What was out of scope for the review?

The ownership and governance of State Owned Enterprises, the economic regulation (price control) of electricity lines, and wider energy sector regulation, such as gas regulation.

What did the review team consider?

The review team considered:

– The Electricity Commission’s review of the events of winter 2008.
– Available analysis of electricity market competition, including the Commerce Commission’s investigation into wholesale and retail market competition.
– The Law and Economic Consulting Group’s (LECG) report on electricity market governance for Business New Zealand.
– Current knowledge and perspectives on electricity market design and regulation.
– The market and regulatory experiences of other jurisdictions.

What are the main conclusions of the review team?

The review team has concluded that:

– The rate at which retail prices have risen, especially for residential consumers, appears excessive notwithstanding significant increases in the costs of generation. This is primarily attributed to insufficient competition in the retail market, and, to a lesser extent, in the wholesale market.
– The way in which dry years are managed can be substantially improved.
– The reliability and capacity of the transmission system can be improved.
– The governance arrangements for the sector can also be improved.

What is the timetable for electricity market reform?

The government expects to make final decisions on the reform package by the end of the year. Legislation will almost certainly be required to implement final recommendations. The government intends to conclude the review in a timely manner to ensure public, industry and investor confidence in the electricity market.

How do people have their say on the Electricity Market Review discussion document?

Submissions on the discussion document are to be received at the Ministry of Economic Development by 5.00pm Wednesday, 16 September, 2009. Further information on the public consultation process is available at www.med.govt.nz/electricity-market-review.

Marine Energy Fund Opens

nospam@example.com (admin) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:20:00 +1200

Applications are now open for the third round of the Marine Energy Deployment Fund, which aims to get wave and tidal stream energy devices operating in New Zealand waters.

Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee says the purpose of the fund is to bring forward the development of marine energy in New Zealand by facilitating early deployment and adaptation of the technology.

“New Zealand is an attractive proposition for marine energy. We have a long coastline and significant wave energy potential – estimated to be around 8GW, with a further 1GW of tidal energy,” said Mr Brownlee.

“We already generate an impressive 65% of our electricity from renewable sources such as hydro, geothermal and wind, and there’s potential for more.”

“It makes sense to explore emerging generation technologies, like marine, to ensure New Zealand has a diverse and secure electricity system into the future,” he said.

The upcoming round of the Marine Energy Deployment Fund offers $2 million for pre-commercial wave and tidal stream energy devices deployed in New Zealand waters.

“Ideally the project will help to inform the government and the wider marine energy industry of the key technical challenges and the economic, environmental and social benefits and costs associated with deploying wave and tidal stream technologies in New Zealand.”

Applications for round three of this fund open on Friday 31 July 2009 and will close on Monday 23 November 2009. For more information, see www.eeca.govt.nz/marine-energy-fund.

Background:

The $8million Marine Energy Deployment Fund is a four year fund. Two rounds have been allocated, as follows:

Round one: $1.85 million to Crest Energy.

Round two: $760,000 to Wave Energy Technology New Zealand (WET-NZ).

Biodiesel Grants Scheme off to a strong start

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:21:00 +1200

A grants scheme set up to encourage biodiesel production in New Zealand is off to a strong start, with five companies set to take part, Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee announced today.

“Five biodiesel production companies have signed or been offered contracts to participate in the Biodiesel Grants Scheme.”

“ For a fledgling industry, I am impressed that we already have this number of companies ready to take part and sell the quantities of biodiesel required to qualify under the scheme,” Mr Brownlee said.

The companies (and their locations) are: Biodiesel Oils NZ (Tamaki), Ecodiesel (Onehunga), NZ Ester Fuels (Tuakau, South Auckland), Environ Fuels (Te Kuiti), and Biodiesel New Zealand (Christchurch).

“The companies are using a range of sustainable feedstocks to produce biodiesel, such as tallow, used cooking oil and rapeseed grown as a break crop,” the Minister said.

“The scheme will help increase the fuel choices available for New Zealand consumers and businesses.”

“Biodiesel blends can be used for a range of uses, including shipping and industrial use, as well as in vehicles.” Mr Brownlee said.

Participating companies are required to report sales of biodiesel on a monthly basis, in order to be awarded the grant. The biodiesel must be made in New Zealand, and meet the Engine Fuel Specifications Regulations.

Background:

Under the scheme, which started on 1 July 2009, a grant of up to 42.5 cents per litre for biodiesel (or biodiesel content of a biodiesel blend) is available to biodiesel producers.
The grant is paid monthly in arrears to New Zealand producers who sell 10,000 or more litres of biodiesel each month.
Funding of $36 million over three years is set aside for the Biodiesel Grants Scheme.
The Engine Fuel Specification Regulations limit the retail sale of biodiesel to a blend of 5% biodiesel in mineral diesel, which can be used in all diesel engines.
More information: www.eeca.govt.nz/biodiesel-grants

Business Migrant Scheme Revamped

nospam@example.com (admin) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:21:00 +1200

The Government’s new business migration scheme launched today aims to boost economic performance by making New Zealand more attractive for business and entrepreneurial migrants.

Attracting the right business migrants was identified as a high priority initiative at the recent Job Summit and the new government scheme has been announced by Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee and Immigration Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman.

“This fresh approach will ensure we bring more investors, connect them with existing business networks, and create real jobs for New Zealanders,” said Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee.

Announcing the new policy, Dr Coleman said that since 2005 there has been a significant drop off in business migration investment due to unrealistic investment expectations and English language requirements.

The new policy package is designed for migrants who want to invest or set up a business in New Zealand and gain permanent residence.

“For investor migrants the previously existing three categories are streamlined to two, with more realistic requirements for capital, language skills and time spent in New Zealand annually, as well as a far greater flexibility in terms of investment vehicles,” said Dr Coleman.

For entrepreneurial migrants the new policy introduces a new Entrepreneur Plus category which complements the existing Entrepreneur category. Entrepreneur Plus offers a faster path to residence for applicants who create at least 3 fulltime jobs and invest $500,000 in their business.

“The last government’s business migration policies have not attracted investment. Since 2007, there have only been 23 migrants bought to New Zealand through Labour’s business migration policy. Business migration needs to be urgently addressed, and stakeholders’ feedback has been extremely positive regarding this new package,” said Dr Coleman.

Jeremy Moon, the CEO of Icebreaker Clothing was a chair at the Prime Minister’s Job Summit, and says the scheme is a “win win”.

“Business leaders suggested this idea during the Job Summit as something that could be highly effective for little cost. I back the idea because the more investment and entrepreneurship we can get in New Zealand the better, “said Mr Moon.

The new Investor policy will be implemented from 28 July 2009 and the Entrepreneur Policy from November 2009.

For more information please go to www.immigration.govt.nz/migrantinvestment

Report shows positive shifts in energy use and supply

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:23:00 +1200

Energy and Resources Minister, Gerry Brownlee has released the latest edition of The New Zealand Energy Data File. The publication is an annual record of energy use in New Zealand.

"This document is what you might describe as the energy bible of the country. It has been revamped to offer a comprehensive record and database of all our energy trends for each calendar year", said Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee.

"It is a very useful resource for anyone interested in the facts and figures of our energy resources ranging from electricity price trends through to the state of play in our oil and gas resources," he said.

"The report for the 2008 calendar years shows some pleasing trends. In that year around 65% of electricity generation came from renewable sources," said Mr Brownlee"

"And as reported recently in the New Zealand Energy Quarterly for the first quarter of this year, that trend improved with electricity supplied from renewable sources rising to 74%," he said.

Another positive change can be seen via the increase in geothermal electricity generation capacity by 30% to nearly 580MW in 2008.

In addition, total electricity generation dropped slightly from 2007 to 2008, mainly as a result of decreased demand from consumers and the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter.

Other key findings of the report include:

Total oil production in New Zealand increased by 45% to a record 21 million barrels in 2008, as a result of the Tui oil field coming online and continued strong production from the Pohokura field.
Oil and gas exploration activity in 2008 remained high by New Zealand standards.
Oil continued to dominate energy supply and demand, although the growth in the consumption of oil products continued to slow in 2008, a trend that has been apparent since 2005.
In 2008, New Zealand's first underground gas storage facility was developed at the depleted Ahuroa gas field in the Taranaki region.
The total annual amount of energy used by final consumers was slightly below that in 2007.
Coal consumption rose 25% to 3.9 million tonnes in 2008, as a result of increased electricity generation from coal due to low hydro inflow.

Two main features of the new and improved edition of the report include enhanced usability of the publication, and better explanation of energy flows, qualities which differ from previous editions.

The New Zealand Energy Data File is a primary source of detailed information for government, industry, research institutions, media, and interested members of the public. It also lays the foundation for much of the work on energy policy and projections by the Ministry of Economic Development.

An electronic version of The New Zealand Energy Data File can be viewed on the Ministry's website at:

www.med.govt.nz/energy/edf/

Three councils kick-start scheme allowing ratepayers to pay off insulation through rates

nospam@example.com (admin) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:23:00 +1200

The government has announced the first three councils to offer their residents the opportunity to pay off energy efficiency investments through their rates, as part of the government’s Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme.

“I’m very pleased to announced that Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Environment Canterbury and Nelson City Council have all agreed to take part in Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart,” Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee said today.

“These three councils are in the process of rolling out schemes suited to their areas, which will allow ratepayers to pay off insulation, and in some cases clean heating, via their rates bills.

“This makes the cost of investing in energy efficiency much more manageable for ratepayers, so they can enjoy the benefits of a warmer, drier home that causes less air pollution.”

Mr Brownlee said a number of other councils are in the process of working through the administrative and technical details for implementing the scheme through their rating systems.

The $323 million Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme plans to insulate 180,000 houses over four years.

Today Mr Brownlee visited one of the first houses to be insulated under the new programme.

The Lower Hutt house received a grant to cover part of the cost of ceiling and underfloor insulation, and a heat pump. The house was assessed by Right House.

Mr Brownlee said as well as warming up cold New Zealand homes, the programme was providing employment for out-of-work New Zealanders, both at the sales and installation end of the industry and the manufacturing end.

“I am told that Right House has employed 20 people over the last month to satisfy the increased demand and they are still recruiting. Of the 20 people, nine of them were previously unemployed young guys who are now learning a trade.

Mr Brownlee said householders interested in finding out more about the programme and how to locate a provider in their area should look at www.energywise.govt.nz

Or phone ECCA: 0800 358 676

See background below for more information about the three councils taking part in Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart.

Background:

Hawke’s Bay

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council are working on the details of a scheme they hope to have operational by 1 October 2009
It’s proposed that ratepayers across the Hawke's Bay region will have the option of paying off insulation on their rates bill over a time period (possibly 10 years).
In areas where there are air quality issues, such as Napier and Hastings, the regional council will provide additional grants or interest subsidised loans to help fund the cost of clean heating devices.

Canterbury

Environment Canterbury will be rolling out the coverage of its targeted rate in three stages:

a. From July 1, people within urban Christchurch city will be able to choose to pay off an insulation and clean heat retrofit on their rates bill.

b. Stage 2 begins in late 2009 to extend this eligibility for a targeted rate to outside the urban centre, including Timaru, Ashburton and Kaiapoi and Rangiora.

c. Stage 3 is as yet without a firm start date but will expand the targeted rate to ratepayers in the wider Canterbury region.

Nelson

From 1 July 2009, Nelson City Council ratepayers will be able to pay off an insulation and clean heat retrofit on their rates bill provided they are in a polluted airshed and have to replace an existing non-approved burner.

Smart meters the smart way

nospam@example.com (admin) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:24:00 +1200

Energy and Resources Minister, Gerry Brownlee, says a smart meter is the smart way to go.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has today released its report "Smart electricity meters: How households and the environment can benefit."

The report makes a series of recommendations to ensure electricity retailers make the benefits of smart meter technology fully available to consumers.

"This is a timely and welcome report. Fully enabled smart meter technology is an important step for the future. Consumers need to be able to make choices about their power usage in their homes," said Energy and Resources Minister, Gerry Brownlee.

"I think the report makes some valid points and it raises a number matters for the government to consider more fully," he said.

"Can I say I personally believe the next generation in electricity innovation will revolve around smart meters, smart grids, and a new generation of smart appliances."

"The government supports the roll-out of smart meters but they have to be genuinely smart and not just revenue tools for the retailers," said Mr Brownlee.

"I see merit in smart meters being fully enabled with chips and that they operate to a universal or open access protocol. The meters need to be compatible with retail switching choices made by consumers," said Mr Brownlee.

"I want to be convinced there are no immediate negative pricing implications for the consumer. Also the meters smart meters replace are 70-year-old technology. It is very important to also ensure the smart meter technology is future-proofed."

"The Electricity Commission has to report to me by December 2009 on smart meters. I look forward with interest to see if the report calls for a more regulated approach to smart meters or reliance on industry guidelines," said Mr Brownlee.