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Summary
- NZ serious about decarbonizing by 2050
- Several companies started long time back on the road to reduce carbon emissions
- Some companies have announced their plans recently
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern while addressing the world leaders on Climate Change asked the countries to follow NZ’s initiatives in the direction of climate change. Rightly so, even though NZ seeks to decarbonise by 2050, many companies have already started announcing their plans and the options regarding clean energy.
New Zealand had a head-start on clean energy a long time back. It’s already on its way to decarbonise the electricity sector with 81% of energy coming from hydro and geothermal energy. Most of the big utility companies are adopting green ways of generating electricity.
While Geothermal and hydroelectricity are already there, other sources of clean energy are also being looked at. For instance, natural gas, which is fossil fuel based is being sought to be replaced by hydrogen.
Here are a few companies which have announced concrete plans to decarbonise.
Image Source: Copyright © 2021 Kalkine Media Pty Ltd
Firstgas Group to replace natural gas with hydrogen
Firstgas Group, which provides natural gas to NZ homes announced that it would decarbonize its gas pipelines completely by 2050, recently. In line with New Zealand’s Climate Change Response Programme (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act of 2019, which spells out NZ’s goal to reach zero-carbon emissions by 2050, Firstgas announced that it would move from natural gas to hydrogen completely by 2050.
From 2030 onwards, it plans to start blending hydrogen with natural gas in its grids, and by 2050 to make it a complete hydrogen-based network. Currently, Kiwis use methane and LPG to heal their homes and offices, but after the conversion, hydrogen will be used as an alternative fuel. The Group also confirmed that its networks could produce hydrogen enough to decarbonise the entire natural gas network by 2050.
Wisk to start Trials on self-flying air taxi
Wisk is planning to roll out its self-flying air taxis trials. It will start its trials for the new mode of EV by the end of this year. It may be noted that in 2020, Wisk and the Government of New Zealand had entered into an agreement to conduct transport trials on this system under the Government of New Zealand’s plan to declutter roads. This will also help New Zealand to move a step towards its sustainability goals and introduce electric self-driven vehicles in its urban transport system.
Image Source: Copyright © 2021 Kalkine Media Pty Ltd
Freight Cos Vow to Decarbonise by 2050
Last week, the freight companies announced their plans to decarbonise NZ’s freight system. The time-frame they have set out for themselves is 30 years. The Executive General Manager of Toll, Jon Adams, said that the freight volumes were increasing and if one were to go by the figures, the volumes would increase by 33% and emissions by 37%. If nothing is done now to curb them, it could be a major problem.
Big companies of NZ are supporting this initiative — these companies include -- Countdown, Fonterra, Lyttelton Port Company, New Zealand Post, Ports of Auckland, Swire Shipping, The Warehouse Group, TIL Logistics Group, and Toll New Zealand. These companies would lead the initiative.
