News & blog hub

Severe weather events, including the devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle, saw the Firstlight Network team (formerly Eastland Network) work tirelessly throughout the summer of 2023. At the same time, the Network still had its planned programme of works to deliver, as they continued to maintain and improve energy resilience for their customers and communities throughout Tairāwhiti and Wairoa.

Once again, from the renewable gas space, we have a first-person account from James Irvine, GM of Future Fuels at Firstgas Group. James was fortunate to join the GasNZ & Bioenergy Australia tour of renewable gas projects, travelling across 5 Australian states in 5 days. He shares some of his insights about the projects he visited that spanned a variety of renewable technologies, scale and businesses.

As we’re seeing more frequently these days, climate change affects us all. Which makes it even more vital that we act now to transition to renewable energy sources.

Clarus (formally Firstgas Group) is building a state-of-the-art plant to upgrade Ecogas’ biogas into renewable gas to inject into the gas network – on track for deployment by Q2 2024.

Big oil companies aren’t in the business of losing money. That’s why it’s fascinating to see Shell and BP investing billions of dollars into biogas, a renewable energy source that could eventually replace natural gas and help reduce global carbon emissions.

In October 2021, our Firstgas Group team attended Ecogas’ official opening of their new Organics Processing Facility in Reporoa, the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Firstgas Group is pleased to confirm Overseas Investment Office (OIO) approval for the acquisition of Eastland Network. The transaction will be completed on 31 March 2023.

Team New Zealand has developed a hydrogen-powered chase boat that is showing the world how powerful marine hydrogen can be. In 2021, the current America’s Cup holders were thinking about the team’s carbon footprint

Hydrogen has been safely stored, transported and used across industries over many decades. Just like natural gas, LPG and petrol, hydrogen safety is about understanding how the gas behaves and how to handle it.

Jason brings with him over 30 years of experience working in the energy sector with particular focus in strategy, M&A transactions, and infrastructure investment. Alongside his governance roles, Jason works as an independent consultant and advisor.

An independent study by electricity expert Energy Link has found that large-scale hydrogen storage is a better solution than other options that include pumped hydro storage or over-building renewable capacity to fully decarbonise Aotearoa’s electricity system.

Transport is responsible for 17% of New Zealand’s carbon emissions, and heavy vehicles emit almost a quarter of all our transport emissions. But while it’s fairly easy to swap out a petrol car for a low-emissions one, decarbonising the shipping, trucking and aviation industries is much trickier.

Clarus believes gas has a big part to play in New Zealand’s energy future. Thanks to extensive research and close monitoring of international efforts, we’re planning our route towards distributing cleaner, more energy efficient renewable gas – and to ultimately helping New Zealand reach its net zero-carbon goal by 2050.

Eastland Network will join the Clarus (Firstgas Group) following its acquisition by international infrastructure investor, Igneo.

Firstgas Group is right behind Aotearoa’s carbon zero future. That’s why we are investigating renewable gas solutions including green hydrogen, which we think will play a big part in that future.

Hydrogen has a vital role to play as Aotearoa’s transition to a zero-carbon future and Firstgas Group is investigating the role of hydrogen and what we will need to do for our network to carry hydrogen in the future.