a
Book Now
M
MEDIA RELEASE: Businesses urged to embrace carbon action amid record-breaking temperature breach

MEDIA RELEASE: Businesses urged to embrace carbon action amid record-breaking temperature breach

by | Feb 16, 2024 | News, Press Release

[New Zealand, 19 Feb 2024] – Total Utilities, a leading force in New Zealand sustainable solutions, urges businesses to take immediate steps towards reducing their carbon footprint as global warming breaches the 1.5°C threshold for an entire year, signalling a crucial moment for carbon action.

According to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, it’s the first time global warming has exceeded 1.5°C across an entire year from February 2023 to January 2024.

World leaders promised in 2015 to try to limit the long-term temperature rise to 1.5°C, which is seen as crucial to help avoid the most damaging impacts.

Jonathan Gardiner, Managing Director of Total Utilities, highlights that businesses can consider this warning as a timely reminder of the importance of addressing their carbon footprint.

“Ignoring your business’s emissions poses real risks not only to the environment, but also to your business in terms of non-compliance with regulations, loss of market trust and reputational damage, reduced competitiveness, and missed opportunities for efficiencies and cost savings,” he explains.

Gardiner notes that businesses often neglect carbon management for a number of reasons including cost constraints, perceived complexity, time limitations, or a lack of reliable tools and expertise. However, addressing emissions is now a strategic necessity.

“Understanding specific emission sources within industries is crucial for developing effective reduction strategies tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities present in the New Zealand business context,” he says.

Total Utilities’ simplified approach

Total Utilities’ carbon management service has been designed with simplicity and speed in mind. The approach incorporates a comprehensive Carbon Inventories Emissions Checklist, which lays out all essential steps for identifying emission sources, gathering and analysing data, calculating emissions, and reporting findings.

This is paired with Total Utilities’ cutting-edge Carbon Insights platform utilising Net0 software to measure, monitor, reduce, and report on carbon emissions effortlessly.

Harnessing the power of Net0’s carbon management platform combined with Total Utilities’ unparalleled expertise in carbon and utility management – the company delivers a revolutionary fast-track carbon management solution.

Bold choices for a greener future

Gardiner reinforces Total Utilities’ commitment to simple, sustainable solutions, stating, “At the heart of our response lies a commitment to providing effortless solutions for businesses. Using our Carbon Insights and Carbon Inventories services, businesses can seamlessly align their supply chain with sustainability goals and actively contribute to a low carbon future.”

“And here’s the thing – we get it. We don’t want the whole carbon measuring thing to slow businesses down. Our approach is all about making it easy for businesses to jump on board without complication or unnecessary fuss.”

“As the world deals with the impacts of climate change, we’re urging businesses to make bold choices. Every step towards cutting carbon is a move toward a greener, more sustainable future.”

To learn more about Total Utilities’ range of carbon reporting, measurement, and reduction tools and services, please visit www.totalutilities.co.nz.

About Total Utilities: Total Utilities is a leading provider of utility management, carbon measurement, and reduction services, offering innovative solutions to help businesses optimise their utility usage, reduce their carbon footprint, and achieve sustainability goals. With a customer-centric approach and a comprehensive range of services, Total Utilities empowers clients to navigate the complexities of carbon management and drive positive change.

About Net0: Net0 is an innovative carbon management platform that enables businesses to measure, reduce, and disclose their carbon emissions with ease. With advanced AI technology and a user-friendly interface, Net0 simplifies carbon tracking and reporting, empowering businesses to accelerate their journey towards a net-zero future.

Media contact:
Jonathan Gardiner,
Managing Director, Total Utilities
E: [email protected]
M: +64 21 265 8379

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: Transmission pricing change effective April 2023

PRESS RELEASE: Transmission pricing change effective April 2023

by | May 21, 2023 | News, Press Release

Electricity transmission pricing hike delivers nasty jolt 

Changes to national grid operator Transpower’s transmission charges took effect in April – and as with most things in life, there are winners and losers.The updated transmission pricing methodology (known as TPM) significantly differs from previous years, and has delivered a mixed bag of rises and cuts for domestic and industrial users.

State owned enterprise, Transpower, has been allowed to recover $830 million by the Commerce Commission for running the network and the increased costs are now being passed on to end users.

Changes to charging methodology

Transpower Head of Grid Pricing Rebecca Osborne said the Electricity Authority has designed the new methodology to more closely reflect the costs and expected benefits of electricity transported across Transpower’s 12,000 kilometres of transmission lines.

There should be no surprises across the electricity industry about the new transmission charges, she said.

“We’ve consulted with customers along the way and provided information as the elements have developed, including updating our indicative prices… and providing indicative rates information in early November.”

“Total transmission revenue, as set by the Commerce Commission, remains the same, but how it is distributed among Transpower customers has changed.”

Encourage renewable generation

The Authority expects the new approach to transmission charges to encourage investment in renewable generation and electrification of industrial processes. 

According to Transpower, the main change in the new transmission pricing is a move to a benefit-based approach where customers pay in proportion to the benefit they are expected to receive from some historic and all future transmission investments.

The previous methodology spread the cost of the HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) link connecting the two main islands across South Island generators and spread the cost of all other interconnection assets across local lines companies and major industrial users. 

Some Northland, East & West Coast customers hit hardest

In general, this means cost increases for local lines companies and some of the largest industrial customers in the north of the country because they are further away from where the bulk of generation is located in the South Island.

It also means North Island generators will begin contributing to the cost of the interconnected transmission assets and South Island generators will contribute less.

Consumers in Northland, the east coast of the North Island, and the West Coast have faced the biggest hikes, while Wellington and some South Island areas have seen prices fall.

The final amount that consumers pay for their transmission charges is ultimately decided by local lines companies, these charges typically make up between 8 and 10 percent of power bills.

Big power users such as the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter have seen an almost $10m price cut, while NZ Steel mill at Glenbrook faces an $11m increase. 

Earlier in the year the Electricity Authority calculated movements would generally be small.

Those most affected may take issue with this. Indeed, Buller Electricity filed for a judicial review after being told its transmission charges would rise by 427 percent.

 

Subscribe to our Market Commentary

* indicates required