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| BEC - The Need for Govt Assistance in the Gas Transition | New BEC report "The need for government assistance in the gas transition" calls on all political parties to support a transition away from gas for commercial and industrial users, in the face of significant gas price increases and rapidly declining domestic production. BusinessNZ does not usually advocate for government intervention of this nature. However, the present situation is a result of policy decisions which have distorted market signals and driven business towards higher-cost fuels. While assistance has been given to the supply side, BusinessNZ and BEC believe that assistance should also be given to the demand side. Read the full report here...
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Gas NZ - Biomethane Strategy and Action Plan | GasNZ has presented a Biomethane Strategy and Action Plan to the Government at the request of the then Minister of Energy and current Climate Change Minister, Simon Watts, outlining how biomethane made from organic waste could become a significant part of New Zealand's renewable energy supply. The strategy proposes scaling production from 1PJ in the near term to 5PJ by 2035 and 25PJ by 2050. This would meet around half of New Zealand's future natural gas demand while using existing gas infrastructure. Biomethane would improve energy security, cut emissions by capturing waste methane, and support regional economies through locally produced renewable gas. Read the Strategy and Action Plan here... | | | |
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Driving Sustainable Growth: Opportunities for New Zealand's Economy | The Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) have released new report examining how New Zealand can drive sustainable economic growth, by transitioning to a modern economy. The report, Driving Sustainable Growth: Opportunities for New Zealand’s Economy, finds that a focused shift toward an innovation-driven, productivity-led economy, underpinned by affordable and plentiful renewable energy and stable policy settings, could deliver an estimated $22 billion increase in GDP per year by 2035, rising to more than $33 billion per year by 2050, compared to an economy that only relies on the current carbon price path. | | | |
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The Greens "National Electrification Plan" | The Green Party has used its 2026 State of the Planet address to set out a vision for a resilient, independent Aotearoa and to call on the Government to create a National Electrification Plan. The plan would electrify homes, transport and industry which they say would end New Zealand's dependence on unpredictable global fossil fuel markets, cut household power bills and build energy security at home. Find more here... | | | |
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Additional 90 million Litres of Diesel Coming | The Government has secured, through a letter of intent with Z Energy, an additional nine days of diesel supply to boost New Zealand's fuel reserves and help shield the country from global oil shocks. Under the terms of the deal the fuel will be delivered to Marsden Point either as a single cargo or as two cargoes, the Crown's exposure to any long-term in fuel prices will be limited, and the fuel will be held at the direction of the Crown. The additional supply will not count towards the fuel companies' minimum stockholding obligations. Read the Govt announcement here... | | | |
World Energy Issues Monitor 2026 - NZ Results | The New Zealand data and associated Country Commentary has been released for the World Energy Councils Annual Issues Monitor Survey. The results show that New Zealand's energy sector is moving into a more complex and constrained phase. There has been a significant shift from last year, with affordability no longer the primary uncertainty. Instead, pressure is building around declining domestic gas supply, rising electricity demand, and the challenge of delivering new infrastructure at pace. Read more here... | | | |
World Bank - Commodities Market Outlook | The World Bank has released its April 2026 Commodities Markets Outlook. The eruption of war in the Middle East, leading to attacks on energy infrastructure and the near cessation of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, has caused unprecedented disruptions to global commodity supplies. Since the war began, prices of directly affected commodities have surged. The price of Brent oil climbed from 72 USD/barrel at the end of February to closing at 118 USD/barrel at the end of March, the largest monthly increase on record. Other heavily affected commodities include LNG, fertiliser, silver, gold and aluminium, among others. Read the full report here... | | | |
Joint Statement from IEA, IMF and World Bank | The Heads of the International Energy Agency, International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group met in April as part of the coordination group they established early the same month to maximise their institutions response to the energy and economic impacts of the war in the Middle East. At the end of their meeting, they issued a statement which starts: "As we noted earlier this month, the impact of the war is substantial, global and highly asymmetric, disproportionately affecting energy importers, particularly in low-income countries. The shock has led to higher oil, gas and fertiliser prices, triggering concerns about food security and job losses. Some oil and gas exporters in the Middle East have also seen a dramatic loss in export revenue." Read the full statement here... | | | |
Global Electricity Review 2026 | Ember has released their seventh annual Global Electricity Review which is aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of changes in global and country-level electricity generation in 2025. The report finds that record solar growth meant that clean power sources grew fast enough to meet all new electricity demand in 2025, thereby preventing an increase in fossil generation. It was the first year since 2020 without an increase in electricity generation from fossil fuels and only the fifth year without a rise this century. China and India, historically the largest contributors to the global rise in fossil power, both recorded a fall in fossil generation in 2025. Read the full report here... | | | |
IEA Energy Employment Survey 2026 - Share your insights | The International Energy Agency is currently collecting input from energy companies for its World Energy Employment Report 2026. The survey gathers insights on workforce challenges, including skills shortages, in-demand occupations, and hiring trends, and how these are shaping the energy transition. Insights from New Zealand's energy sector will help ensure that industry perspectives are reflected in global analysis and policy discussions. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and can be found here... Respondents can also express interest in a follow up discussion with the IEA team. For any enquiries, please contact leonardo.bolstad@iea.org | | | |
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BEC is currently working on the following submissions: The Electricity Authority is currently consulting on reforming distributed generation pricing to promote efficient investment and network usage, and to help reduce the cost of supply to consumers. BEC agrees with the EA that pricing methodologies play an important role in promoting efficient network development and use. Ensuring that pricing is efficient and cost-reflective will help deliver better outcomes for the system. We are therefore supportive of steps taken to realise this goal. The proposed updates to the DGPPs are likely needed to ensure that the regulatory framework remains fit for purpose in a rapidly changing electricity system. While existing principles have served their purpose, the growth in distributed generation and batteries has created need for adjustment. View BEC submissions here... | |
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Feedback on EECA's Proposed Solar Installer Accreditation | To build trust in solar installer capability in New Zealand, EECA is inviting feedback on its draft approach to endorse industry-led accreditation programmes for solar PV and battery installers in Aotearoa New Zealand. EECA would endorse accreditation programme providers - not individual installers - where they can demonstrate robust criteria and processes. Feedback is open until 15 May. Find out more here... | | | |
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EA to take a closer look at price increases | The EA has requested more information from power companies about higher power prices and whether further increases are expected ahead of winter. The Authority estimates most households face average increases of around 8% to their power bills ahead of winter, on top of last year's 8% increase. Most of this year's increases came into effect on 1 April and showed wide variation across the country and by retailer, ranging from 1%-11%. Read more here... | | | |
Coal to Urea in Southland | Victoria Hydrogen has proposed a major new 1.5 million tonne per year urea fertiliser project which they want to develop in Southland. This $3 billion project would produce urea from Southland lignite and would reduce the reliance on the 500,000 tonnes of annual imported urea fertiliser. Find out more here...
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$47 million Redclyffe rebuild | The Commerce Commission has given its final approval for Transpower's $47 million investment to complete the rebuild of Redclyffe substation, further boosting resilience and reliability supply in Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti. The work will mark the culmination of three years of effort to build the local transmission infrastructure back better after damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. Read more here... | | | |
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New Infrastructure Regulation Symposium | |
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Electricity Networks Aotearoa is launching its first Infrastructure Regulation Symposium - a new forum for infrastructure and regulatory leaders navigating an increasingly complex environment. The full-day, in person event will be held in Wellington on 24 November 2026. Save the date for now, and if you're keen to find out more subscribe below. | |
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