What's in the election for renewable energy?
With the election only a month away I’m sure we are all having plenty of conversations about the future of New Zealand.
We’ve not been shy about our opinion on the importance of electrification and renewable energy for New Zealand’s future, and if you’re anything like us, knowing what each party is promising in this area is key in the lead-up to voting day.
We’ve compiled a list of what each party is saying in terms of energy and in particular renewable energy.
A couple of notes before we get into it;
- Parties are listed in alphabetical order, so this order in no way reflects our thoughts on each party or their renewable energy policies.
- We’ve only included parties who had policy information related to renewable energy. We’ve included what we could find at the time of writing but parties may have announced further policy since then.
- We used Policy.NZ to help compile this list, it’s a helpful website if you want to check out other policy areas too.
- Some of the statements are very high-level and light on detail, so be sure to dive in further and see what they actually mean.
Act
- Reverse the ban on offshore oil and gas exploration
- Abolish the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority
- Cease development of the Lake Onslow hydro scheme
- Fast-track permit development to make offshore wind easier to permit
Green Party
- Strengthen the Zero Carbon Act
- Ban new extraction of fossil fuels
- Install solar panels on public buildings, such as hospitals.
- Reform the electricity market to encourage renewable energy
- Use dividends from energy companies to invest in clean energy
- Provide grants and loans for home energy efficiency improvements
- Make clean energy improvements tax deductible for rental properties
- Install solar panels on social housing
- Broaden the scope of Warmer Kiwi Homes to include more zero-carbon upgrades
- Support community energy initiatives
- Provide training for careers in clean energy
- Expand energy efficiency scheme for low-income households
See Green’s energy policy here.
Labour
- Up to $4,000 rebate to help New Zealanders install rooftop solar panels and batteries
- Continue renewable energy funding partnership with BlackRock
- Continue to aim for 100% renewable energy
See Labour’s press release on solar rebates here.
National
- Reform the planning rules for renewable energy generation
- Issue a new national policy statement on renewable electricity generation
- Introduce a national policy statement on electricity distribution
- Reform planning rules for electricity distribution and transmission
- Introduce a national policy statement on hydrogen
- Continue to fund green investment finance
See National’s Electrification plan here.
New Conservatives
- End all climate taxes, subsidies and regulations
See New Conservatives policy on the environment here.
Te Pati Maori
- Phase out industrial coal burning by 2030
- Maintain target of 100% renewable energy by 2030
- Fund Māori-owned community energy projects
- Develop a national Māori strategy for renewable energy and clean technology
See Te Pati Maori Climate Change Policy here.
Our thoughts
It is good to see a number of parties have policies that will speed up New Zealand’s transition to 100% renewable energy. With two parties promising rebates for solar, we eagerly await the outcome of the election. If you’re thinking about solar, just remember solar represents a very good return on investment even without rebates. Don’t wait to start enjoying the benefits of producing your own energy.
The reality is no matter who ends up in government come 15 October, the renewable energy sector will continue to grow rapidly and solar will continue to be a smart investment for households and businesses.
Ready to get solar? Fill out the form below and one of our team will get in touch with you to see how we can help.