EnergyWatch – The Newsletter of SEF

Available as:

EnergyWatch issue 80 – June 2018

EnergyWatch 80 was distributed to SEF members in June 2018. EnergyWatch 80 contents include:

• Editorial - A Sustainable Energy Agenda
• The SEF Annual General Meeting
• SEF Submissions
  • Productivity Commission report
  • Low Emission Economy
  • EECA 2018/19 consultation
  • Response to SEF from EECA
  • Rebuttal from Frank
• Zero Carbon Bill
• Making the Transition to EVs happen
• Energy Efficiency First, a path not a bridge to a low-carbon economy
• Commerce Commission's Priorities 2017/18
• CO₂ storage in the very deep ocean as a concept for delivering on the CCS promise
• Neil's Oil Price Chart
• Join our Sustainable Energy Forum News and Discussion Group

PDF (~531KB)

EnergyWatch issue 79 – July 2017

EnergyWatch 79 was distributed to SEF members in July 2017. EnergyWatch 79 contents include:

• Editorial
• Ten Key Sustainable Energy Issues for New Zealand
• When is an EV not and EV? When it is a PHEV
• The 30c/litre myth
• Too good to be true?
• Retention of our zero-emission trolley buses is a political issue
• Wrightspeed technology
• Low-End Torque in Practice
• De-electrification of the NIMT
• Green Party Energy Policy
• Electricity pricing controversies transmission pricing, solar tax, and low fixed charges
• Future Wood Burners
• Notice of AGM and forum
• SEF submission on the replacement energy efficiency and conservation
• Neil’s Oil Price Chart
• Join our Sustainable Energy Forum News and Discussion Group

PDF (~577KB)

EnergyWatch issue 78 – January 2017

EnergyWatch 78 was distributed to SEF members in January 2017. EnergyWatch 78 contents include:

• Editorial
• Light rail for New Zealand?
• Repentance and redemption vs Indulgence
• Is the NZ ETS fit for purpose
• 2016 Status of Electric vehicles
• Contribution of EVs to emission reduction
• Going the wrong way on NZ’s motorways
• Neil’s Oil Price Chart

PDF (~852KB)

EnergyWatch issue 77 – June 2016

EnergyWatch 77 was distributed to SEF members in June 2016. EnergyWatch 77 contents include:

• Background
• Are Consumers Frustrated?
• Domination of Power Sector by Incumbents
• Regulatory Intervention
• Myths of the Market
• Institutional Obfuscation
• Technology & Climate Change
• Recent NZ Initiatives

PDF (~510KB)

EnergyWatch issue 76 – March 2016

EnergyWatch 76 was distributed to SEF members in March 2016. EnergyWatch 76 contents include:

• Editorial
• The Dynamics of Electricity storage by John Irving
• IEA review of NZ energy policies stirs controversy by Molly Melhuish
• Fonterra clean energy shift not so simple
• A Contrary View by Jeanette Fitzsimons
• Building a local sustainable energy agenda?
• Rail in New Zealand (an opportunity being missed) by Kerry Wood
• Neil’s Oil Price Chart
• Join our Sustainable Energy Forum News and Discussion Group

PDF (~481KB)

EnergyWatch issue 75 – November 2015

EnergyWatch 75 was distributed to SEF members in November 2015. EnergyWatch 75 contents include:

• Editorial
• CCS is a vital contributor to achieving the <2°C target
• The extent of CCS required
• Status of CCS technology components
• Potential for Very Deep Ocean Storage of CO₂ off Indonesia – A Discussion Paper
• The Australia-New Zealand Climate Change and Business Conference
• Neil’s Oil Price Chart
• Join our Sustainable Energy Forum News and Discussion Group

PDF (~573KB)

EnergyWatch issue 74 – September 2015

EnergyWatch 74 was distributed to SEF members in September 2015. EnergyWatch 74 contents include:

• Editorial
• SEF Submission on Climate Change Consultation
• A briefing to MfE on a GHG emission reduction plan for New Zealand
• The Green Party Emission Reduction Plan
• SEF submission on proposed Canterbury Air Regional Plan (pCARP)
• The on-going saga of the New Zealand Solar Hot Water Industry by Eric Jansseune
• Greenhouse gas emission implications of switching from coal to gas as the NZ dry year backup electricity supply system
• Neil's Oil Price Chart
• Join our Sustainable Energy Forum News and Discussion Group

PDF (~1.05MB)

EnergyWatch issue 73 – June 2014

EnergyWatch 73 was distributed to SEF members in June 2014. EnergyWatch 73 contents include:

• Editorial
• Obituaries
• Failed crony capitalist electricity market
• Tight electricity regulation is the only sensible option
• Road Transport
• Rail and Sea Transport
• NZ’s emission trading scheme – fixing NS’s neutered carbon price
• Proper support required for solar hot water heating
• Regulators in denial of the existence of clean burning wood systems
• Transition of the city – urban form metabolism product development and profit
• The future role for smart grids and networks in our electricity system.
• Drill Baby Drill! with light-handed regulation of oil and gas
• Neil’s Oil Price Chart
• Join our Sustainable Energy Forum News and Discussion Group

PDF (~446KB)

EnergyWatch issue 72 – March 2014

EnergyWatch 72 was distributed to SEF members in March 2014. EnergyWatch 72 contents include:

• Editorial
• A Bigger Picture Issue
• Costs overshadow virtues of switching to solar
• Rebuttal in defence of PV power
• What price for PV surplus
• A UK Perspective
• Numbers from Germany
• PV Power cost reduction

PDF (~365KB)

EnergyWatch issue 71 – February 2014

EnergyWatch 71 was distributed to SEF members in February 2014. EnergyWatch 71 contents include:

• Editorial
• Seven Things Everyone Thinks They Know about Energy – that just ain't so.
• More on peak oil
• Some New Directions for Transport Policy
• Seven linked articles by Kerry Wood
  1. For Starters
  2. RoNS and Rationality
  3. RoNS, WEBs and Agglomeration
  4. Better value than RoNS?
     1. 4.1: Cycle Provision
     2. 4.2: Clifford Bay and the Interislander
  5. Saving Rail
  6. A Shipping Revolution
  7. What Transport Policy?
• Smart transport visions for Auckland and Wellington
• Neil's Oil Price Chart

PDF (~778KB)

EnergyWatch issue 70 – November 2013

EnergyWatch 70 was distributed to SEF members in November 2013. EnergyWatch 70 contents include:

• Editorial
• SEF Seminar – August 2013
• Turkey – Sustainable Energy Observations and some NZ Implications
• Chinese Overtures to CCS
• Regulatory Failures
• SEF AGM
• Smarter Grid Solutions for Constrained Networks
• The Importance of Methane
• Transport Choices for Wellington
• Will the "American Way of shale oil and gas" fundamentally change the energy sector
• Neil's Oil Price Chart
• Join our Sustainable Energy Forum News and Discussion Group

PDF (~638KB)