Energy Today, For Tomorrow

At Firstgas, part of Clarus, we're investing in the long-term health of our pipeline network. In Awakau, Taranaki, our team completed a complex repair on the Maui pipeline using innovative BISEP technology, the first time this tool has been used in New Zealand.

As New Zealand grapples with growing energy security concerns, a Kiwi company has secured major international backing to turn waste into renewable gas. Why are overseas markets moving faster than us?

New Zealand has abundant renewable energy resources. So why do we still need gas? Because electricity can't do every energy job, and renewable generation doesn't always meet demand when it's needed most.

Recent debate in New Zealand about LNG has focused heavily on cost, global markets and uncertainty. These are valid considerations. But the more fundamental question is what our energy system will require over the next decade, and how we manage those requirements in a practical way to support both energy and economic resilience.

With global geopolitics causing high fuel prices, how can we can grow our local renewable energy sector? Renewable gas can provide low-emissions, locally-produced energy – all from organics that would otherwise go to waste. New Zealand already has one major renewable gas project at Reporoa, but the latest GasNZ report shows the full potential of this technology.

How do we achieve renewable gas that meets half of New Zealand’s natural gas demand by 2050? The latest GasNZ document is a brilliant start, says Peter Sandston, Acting GM for Future Fuels at Clarus.