Clarus is committed to pursuing clean energy solutions to help New Zealand reach net zero carbon by 2050. This hub provides information, updates and our latest developments as we look to the future of renewable gas.
Construction on New Zealand’s largest solar farm project officially began today at Te Aroha in Waikato, marking a significant milestone for the country’s renewable energy future.
Minister for Energy and Climate Change, Hon. Simon Watts, joined guests on site for a soil-turning ceremony for the project, a joint venture between Harmony Energy Limited and Clarus company, First Renewables.
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In 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle hit New Zealand, causing billions of dollars in damage across the country and more than 140,000 landslides.
Gas storage and flexibility is vital to support the generation of renewable electricity, particularly in the winter months, over peak demand periods, and is becoming more important with the addition of new variable wind and solar generation capacity.
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.
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.
New Zealand has been producing natural gas in Taranaki since 1959, when our largely rural nation had a population of just 2.5 million. Now our population has doubled, our industries have expanded, and our energy use has skyrocketed, and natural gas has been a cornerstone of our energy supply.