Political action required to end energy poverty and hasten the transition to clean economy
The Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand (SEANZ) today fully endorsed the Greenpeace proposal to redirect taxpayer-funded subsidies for fossil fuels and divert them to supporting half a million homes install solar and batteries.
The Greenpeace plan, called Solarise, was released today outlining the steps the government needs to take to secure a clean, modern, and affordable energy system for New Zealanders.
Brendan Winitana, SEANZ Chairman says: “An interest-free loan for households to produce clean, low-cost, energy from the sun is a far better use of taxpayer funding than tax breaks and subsidies for a sunset industry and polluting fuel source.
“The recent report from the government’s Electricity Review highlights that the increasing cost of electricity is driving more kiwi households into energy poverty. Any plan to reverse this dire situation needs to include emerging technologies such as solar and batteries which already produce electricity at below the cost of that supplied from the grid.
“Solar, batteries, and home energy management systems value to individual households and overall to the network is yet to be acknowledged or fully realised.
“Their contribution to improving system resilience, lowering overall costs of transmission and distribution, reducing emissions, and managing peak demands can benefit all New Zealanders.
“The Greenpeace plan to “Solarise” 500,000 homes instead of supporting fossil fuels is just the sort of positive solution the government should be considering at this pivotal time in the review of our electricity market.
“Smart homes and businesses can be the cornerstone of our sustainable energy network, powering our homes and our vehicles with energy from the sun. We just need the political will to make it happen,” says Mr Winitana.
