The Government has moved to the next phase of a proposed LNG import terminal, drawing criticism from Rewiring Aotearoa.

Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey says the plan relies on “expensive foreign molecules” rather than “locally-generated electrons”.

He says, “You cannot make cheap electricity with expensive fuels,” and describes LNG as “one of the most expensive fuels there is”.

Rewiring Aotearoa says dry year risk is a major issue, but argues an LNG terminal would lock New Zealand into an expensive overseas dependency.

It says all electricity users would pay a levy for dry year certainty, not just gas users, and claims this would load costs onto households while having minimal impact on bills.

Minister Simon Watts says removing dry year risk delivers $265 million in savings, or $50 per household per year, as referenced in the statement.

As he told RNZ: “I'm not going to guarantee, based on the advice I've been given the benefits outweigh the costs.”

Rewiring Aotearoa says the solution has two parts.

First, more solar on homes, farms and businesses, more renewables like wind and geothermal, and coal and diesel peakers only if required.

Second, it says New Zealand should make better use of existing gas reserves and spend money to help businesses electrify, claiming this could extend existing gas supplies by about a decade.

For Hibiscus Coast households and local businesses, Rewiring Aotearoa’s message is to cut grid demand by generating more power on site and switching more energy use to electricity.

What Hibiscus Coast residents can do, under Rewiring Aotearoa’s approach:

• Price rooftop solar and compare expected savings with your current annual power spend.
• Consider a battery if you want more self-supply, especially for evening use.
• Shift home energy use to electric options mentioned in the statement, including heat pumps and hot water heat pumps.
• Watch for any move on the Ratepayer Assistance Scheme model Rewiring Aotearoa is calling for, which it says would offer loans for solar, batteries, heat pumps and hot water heat pumps.
• If you run a business, map your gas use and get quotes to electrify where it pencils, which the group says is already possible for a share of large users based on EECA RETA reports.

Rewiring Aotearoa says it will ask to see the Government’s modelling and analysis, including scenarios with high renewable uptake.

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