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EECA's CE to retire
After almost 10 years as Chief Executive of EECA, Mike Underhill has announced plans to retire from the role towards the end of this year.
Under Mike’s leadership, EECA has helped to insulate more than 300,000 houses under various Government programmes, and developed a business programme that helps large energy users save millions of dollars each year through energy efficiency.
“It’s been a privilege to lead EECA’s long-term efforts to establish the importance of energy efficiency and conservation to our economy and people’s everyday wellbeing,” says Mike.
Picture: Mike Underhill, Chief Executive of EECA.
New fund for EV innovation
A contestable fund of up to $6 million a year is an exciting step towards an electric vehicle future, says EECA’s General Manager Transport Liz Yeaman.
The fund, to be administered by EECA, will encourage and support innovative low emission vehicle projects. It's part of a package announced by the Government last month to increase the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs).
The fund application process will be publicised on the EECA website in due course.
The package also includes a $1 million- a-year EV information and promotion campaign to be designed and delivered by EECA over five years. It will address information barriers and excite New Zealanders about the potential of EVs.
“This approach will help to develop an EV-friendly culture right across New Zealand, so when other factors line up, such as availability and price-points, we’ll be ready to go,” says Liz.
The road transport sector is responsible for about 20% of New Zealand's CO2 emissions. Changing 300,000 light vehicles to electric vehicles (10% of our current fleet) could save a million tonnes of CO2 a year.
Picture: Liz Yeaman (right) tests a Charge Net NZ charging station at Z Energy in Wellington.
Opportunity to meet Jim Sweeney
Members of the energy sector are invited to hear a world-renowned energy efficiency expert when he visits New Zealand next month.
Jim Sweeney is Director of the Precourt Energy Efficiency Centre at Stanford University.
He says energy efficiency is the single most important factor for limiting CO2 emissions from growing economies and increasing energy security – more important than wind, solar, geothermal, hydropower, nuclear, and natural gas combined.
The Smart Grid Forum and EECA are hosting an event where Jim will discuss why energy efficiency has been so successful in bringing numerous benefits to the United States, despite the many barriers that inhibit full implementation. Many of these lessons are directly relevant to New Zealand.
The event is on 5 July, 5.30pm at the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, 15 Stout Street, Wellington.
EV stars to attend symposium
Rock stars of the electric vehicle world will speak to a Wellington symposium at the end of this month.
Chelsea Sexton is an American EV advocate and advisor who features in the documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car?
Chelsea will give an international perspective to delegates at The Future Is Electric - Electric Vehicle Symposium on 27 June along with Malcolm McCulloch (University of Oxford), David Carley (Plugin British Columbia) and Christina Bu (Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association - via video presentation).
Innovators and thought leaders in the New Zealand EV scene will then discuss challenges and opportunities in transitioning from fossil fuels. Speakers include Mike Underhill, Chief Executive of EECA.
Winners' stories online
Stories about EECA Awards winners are now online, giving ideas to others keen to unlock savings through energy efficiency.
“The awards generate case studies which become a valuable source of information for others,” says EECA Chief Executive Mike Underhill.
We've also posted short videos of winners discussing why innovation, and the awards themselves, are important, plus a video of awards-night highlights.
Collectively, the 2016 Awards entries will save or generate 1.1 petajoules (PJ) of energy, equivalent to the annual energy use of all households in New Plymouth, and avoid 120,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
EECA Awards winners case studies
Picture: Hamish Reid of Project Litefoot Trust, EECA Awards 2016 Supreme Winner.
EECA an AUT finalist
EECA BUSINESS has been selected as a finalist in the Government category of the AUT 2016 Excellence in Business Support Awards.
The Government category recognises the excellence of public sector agencies in providing business support. EECA has been selected for its work in the large energy user programme and the energy and carbon savings it has created.
The winners of the 10 category awards and the supreme award will be announced at a gala dinner on 5 October.
Picture: Chris Thurston, a member of the EECA BUSINESS team.
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