News & blog hub

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.

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.

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.

The study examined the economic, social, and environmental impacts of a national offshore wind energy industry.

Clarus company, First Renewables is close to completing work on an exciting New Zealand-first renewable gas project that will turn food scraps into biomethane.

What’s been happening in the world of renewable energy? We check out exciting news and developments from across the globe.

An independent report looks at the potential for biogas to reduce Aotearoa New Zealand’s emissions and increase renewable energy.

Could Kiwi travellers one day be jetting around the country in planes fuelled by green hydrogen? That’s the plan, according to the New Zealand Hydrogen Aviation Consortium, a group of forward-thinking aviation industry businesses formed in late 2023.

First Renewables, a Clarus company and Harmony Energy announced early in 2024 that they will develop and own Tauhei Solar Farm. At the time of commissioning in 2026, it is expected to be New Zealand’s largest solar generation site.