News & blog hub

Milly Marshall Kirkwood is a remarkable young woman with a burning desire to become a world champion in seated discus and shot put and compete in the 2028 Paralympics. Through the Firstgas Community Fund we are proud to support Milly to help fulfil her dream.

Firstgas, a Clarus company, is working with Omexon to better detect possible methane (natural gas) leaks early, on the Firstgas distribution network, using Street Evaluating Laser Methane Assessment (SELMA) vehicles.

When George Drysdale turned up at Firstlight Network in early 2024 to take up the role of Manager, he was immediately impressed with the unique connection the electricity distribution network had with the Gisborne, Tairawhiti and Wairoa communities. 

Firstgas is one step closer to commencing New Zealand’s first Hydrogen Blending Pilot with WorkSafe granting two exemptions to Firstgas to enable the project to move forward.

It’s a confusing time for energy consumers, especially those using gas. There are some opinions out there that New Zealand needs to go 100% electric and that for various reasons our gas supplies are dwindling. However, gas remains critical to supporting our country’s variable renewable electricity supply.

As part of Clarus' ongoing work to reduce our carbon emissions, two ZEVAC machines are used by our Firstgas transmission and distribution teams to capture gas, compress it and then recycle it back into the pipeline which is estimated to save up to 35 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

James Irvine our GM Future Fuels explains why energy storage is the essential ingredient to electrification, and how hydrogen is the most cost-effective solution for long-term energy storage to support growing renewable generation.

What brings an international leader in renewable energy to move from Europe to New Plymouth? For James Irvine and his family, it was a combination of an appealing job offer, the opportunity to meaningfully fight climate change, and the fabulous Taranaki lifestyle.

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?

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.

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.