A study of 26 countries using data over 15 years has found a link between EV uptake and increased CO2 emissions, though New Zealand is an outlier for one important reason Conducted by researchers from the University of Auckland and Xiamen University in China, the study analysed the environmental impacts of human activity and used a robust statistical approach to investigate what drives a nation’s carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Continue →

Stubbornly high costs and performance issues threaten the prospects for carbon capture and storage (CCS), according to the Institute for Energy Economic and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) In just two years, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has halved its outlook for fossil fuel use in association with CCS by 2040 and 2050 in its Net Zero Emissions (NZE) scenario. Continue →

The Commerce Act clearly states that the Commerce Commission must promote incentives for energy efficiency, but is failing to do so and letting down consumers, Ecobulb Managing Director Chris Mardon says Despite the clear direction in government legislation, the Commission does nothing to encourage energy efficiency which could reduce consumers’ bills. Continue →

New Zealand needs to shift to micro infrastructure to ensure electricity, water and waste systems remain connected during big weather events, a research student says By Zita Campbell, Local Democracy Reporter Zainab Rizvi, a PhD student from the University of Auckland, is investigating how to make Gisborne’s energy system more resilient through micro infrastructures. Continue →

Three exclusive hydrogen initiatives launched in the past six months are supporting Toyota NZ’s carbon neutrality ambition, already stopping tonnes of CO2 being produced Toyota’s hydrogen efforts are focussed on hydrogen opportunities in both mobility solutions and static applications, bringing technology inovations in the hopes to help New Zealand establish a hydrogen economy. Continue →

The equivalent of modern-day power stations, Renewable Energy Zones (REZs) are geographic areas with high-quality variable renewable energy resources Successful delivery of REZs will be imperative to Australia transitioning its energy system and achieving its net zero goals. Continue →

The decision to decommission New Zealand’s only oil refinery at Marsden Point has backfired on the entire country   The refinery, which produced 85 percent of New Zealand’s jet fuel and 67 percent of its petrol and diesel, became an import terminal as voted by Refinery NZ shareholders in August last year. Continue →

New Zealand’s largest heavy transport company H.W. Richardson (HWR) plans to decarbonise its transport fleet by adopting a hydrogen refuelling solution developed by Fabrum Zero-emissions transition company Fabrum is developing and deploying an end-to-end scalable hydrogen refuelling solution for HWR to enable fleet-ready access to hydrogen. Continue →

As the mobility industry continues to push for full electrification, the need for long-term sustainable battery solutions becomes even more apparent, Movemnt’s Nicole Lumley reports Although electric cars are cleaner and more sustainable on the road, we need to be thinking about what powers these vehicles and how suppliers will meet the demands that electrification brings.  Continue →

The cartridge design will facilitate the everyday transport and supply of hydrogen energy to power a broad range of daily life applications in and outside of the home, Toyota says Together with ENEOS Corporation, Toyota and its subsidiary Woven Planet are working to build a comprehensive hydrogen-based supply chain aimed at expediting and simplifying production, transport, and daily usage. Continue →

German battery technology manufacturer Theion’s innovation is based on sulphur — which as a by-product of industrial processes, is available in abundance without harmful mining, making it 99% cheaper to source than nickel and cobalt, Movemnt reports According to Theion, its battery cells requires 90% less energy to produce, “from raw material to finished cell”. Continue →

If any good can come from the tragedy of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it will be the birth of mass global decarbonisation and the death of the fossil fuels we are so reliant on – digital twins could be key in making that adjustment “Fossil fuels are a dead end” and the war in Ukraine has only highlighted how they have made the global economy and energy security so vulnerable, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres says. Continue →

New Zealand’s transport sector accounts for 47% of the country’s total domestic carbon emissions, but the Government hopes to turn things around with its Sustainable Biofuels Mandate, says Kalkine Chief Executive Kunal Sawhney       The government’s announcement for authorising the use of biofuels for cars, ships, trains, and trucks is a welcome step that can play a significant role in reducing emissions from the transport sector. Continue →

Kōwhai Park will be a new platform for generating renewable energy at scale to enable businesses to transition away from fossil fuels Christchurch Airport is committing 400 hectares of its Harewood campus to Kōwhai Park. Continue →

Green hydrogen can be the real solution towards lowering carbon emissions, but Kalkine Chief Executive Kunal Sawhney explores whether it has a role to play in New Zealand’s future Hydrogen is increasingly being called ‘the fuel of the future’ and can prove helpful in filling in some of the gaps in the clean-energy jigsaw. Continue →

Significant breakthroughs in recycling electric vehicle batteries could help the auto industry tackle criticism that EV batteries come with a heavy carbon footprint thanks to the effort of extracting mined materials used in their manufacture, Movemnt reports As the world races to secure supplies for an expected acceleration in EV demand, the breakthroughs could make valuable supplies of materials such as cobalt and nickel go further. Continue →

The $30m facility will generate enough clean and renewable electricity to power the annual load of 3000 homes The solar farm, which is being built in Pukenui in the Far North by Far North Solar Farm, will cover 12 hectares and contain 32,000 solar panels. Continue →

Current sewage treatment systems consume between 1% and 3% of global energy output and make up over 20% of energy use on public utilities, but some countries are now using wastewater to their advantage Considering wastewater as a resource is a relatively new perspective. Continue →

BloombergNEF has made 10 predictions in energy, transport and sustainability for the year ahead 1. Continue →

South Australia has begun work to build the world’s largest green ammonia plant The initial stage of the A$240 million H2U Eyre Peninsula Gateway Hydrogen Project will include the installation of a 75MW electrolyser near the regional city of Whyalla, capable of producing enough hydrogen to create 40,000 tonnes of ammonia each year. Continue →