News & blog hub

The European Union is pushing hard to increase its production of biomethane – but why the urgency? And why is biomethane the right choice to help tackle the problem?

Warmth, light, and beautiful aesthetics – humans have been gathering around fires for over a million years. Despite all the alternatives, we’re still choosing to install fires in our newest homes to this day.

When it comes to renewable gases – like biogas, biomethane and green hydrogen – there are plenty of opinions flying around. It’s time to bust a few myths about renewable gas, so here are our top five:

Tackling New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions is a team effort – everyone has a part to play. Households, businesses and government must find ways to reduce emissions so we can reach net zero carbon by 2050.

It’s been an incredibly busy 18 months the Firstlight Network team as they weathered multiple severe weather events in 2023, carried on business as usual, and were welcomed into the Clarus team – changing their name and embedding new systems along the way.

Over the past couple of months Clarus has seen a steady number of its employees ditch their cars on some days, and instead opt for an e-bike as their transport of choice to get them to the office. The latest initiative that has the Clarus team buzzing with excitement is the adoption of Workride, a scheme designed to foster healthier commuting habits among employees.

June 20, 2024: Bottled gas is a versatile and affordable way to heat a home or fuel a kitchen, wherever you live in New Zealand. And if you use bottled gas in your home, it’s essential that your supply is not only reliable, but delivers great value for money, too.

The Firstgas Kaitoke Compressor site is being prepared for the arrival of two new state-of-the-art compressors in early 2025. Kaitoke is a key site for the supply of natural gas throughout the lower North Island. Its existing 40-year-old compressor set-up isn’t enough to meet ongoing demand – especially on cold winter nights when gas usage peaks.

Urenui is set to host a blockbuster Yarrows Taranaki Bulls Bunnings NPC preseason match in partnership with energy company Firstgas.

Kiwi company Hiringa has opened the first hydrogen refuelling station in New Zealand – the start of an Australasian-first hydrogen network. Located in Wiri, South Auckland, the hydrogen station is one of three Auckland sites now operational, with another 21 sites in development across Aotearoa.

What’s been happening in the world of renewable energy? We check out exciting news and developments from across the globe, as we work hard to fight climate change and create a low-emissions future for our world.

It’s a confusing time for energy consumers, especially those using gas. We are told on the one hand that our country needs to go 100% electric and that our gas supplies are dwindling. Yet gas remains critical to supporting our country’s variable renewable electricity generation sources – a point that was made crystal clear with the threat of power shortages on the coldest day of the year so far.

Wellington Airport, Hiringa Energy, Air New Zealand and Toyota New Zealand have worked together to conduct a trial at the Wellington airport to test how viable green hydrogen could be to power service vehicles on the ground.

This year, construction is expected to start on the Tauhei Solar Farm, a joint venture between First Renewables (a Clarus company) and Harmony Energy. Located in Te Aroha, the Tauhei Solar Farm at the time of commissioning, is anticipated to be New Zealand’s largest solar farm at 200 megawatts.

Could your home run on green hydrogen in the future? The HyHome in Australia is demonstrating exactly how well hydrogen could work as the energy source for home heating, cooking, and hot water.

This Easter, Mokau was abuzz as the largest gathering of bone carvers in the country came together for the Firstgas Bone Carving Symposium 2024.