Westpac NZ says the launch of a new interest-free loan will help customers make their homes warmer and healthier, while also creating work for tradespeople affected by the COVID-19 downturn.

New Zealand's electricity supply is already over 80% renewable and we’re well placed to keep that number climbing.

Transpower’s latest decarbonisation report Whakamana i Te Mauri Hiko – Empowering our Energy Future shows there is a clear path to it being around 95% renewable by 2035, with options to then moving to 100%.

A Waikato manufacturing plant will soon be able to operate solely on the power of the sun during the summer months.

When completed, the solar energy system to be installed on the roof of the Laminex New Zealand facility in Hamilton will be one of the largest of its kind in the country.

Congrats to SEANZ Member Infratec and sister-company NETcon who have won a joint bid to deliver solar-powered electricity networks for remote outer islands in Tonga.

With the country moving up to COVID-19 Alert Level 4, the impacts on our industry and members are serious. 

Last week SEANZ circulated our Response Plan. Members can access it in the Members section of our website. 

Westpac says it will lend up to $10,000 interest-free for five years to its home loan customers to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

The bank's chief executive David McLean said its new "Warm Up" loans could be used by Westpac home loan customers to install heat pumps, solar panels, ventilation, double glazing or insulation.

SEANZ member, gentailer Genesis Energy has announced it is in advanced planning to build a 300MW solar farm in the northern Waikato. The farm will be New Zealand's biggest solar farm by a big margin and is another indicator that the economics of electricity generation have tipped in favour of commercial and large-scale solar. 

The Government will change the law to let it step in over the top of the country's electricity regulator, amid concerns the power industry may still not be on the right track.

Congrats to SEANZ members Shay Brazier from Revolve Energy and David and the Team at Reid Technology for their roles in bringing New Zealand's largest solar array to life. 

On 11th December the first retail centre in New Zealand that implements Solar Grid Share was opened. It was opened by Broadway Property at their Moore Street Retail Centre (219 Moore Street, Howick).

Solar Grid Share concept, is offering the opportunity for local businesses to join together, generating solar power for the benefit of all.

The solar system installed by Solar Group will provide more than 50% of the power needs of the 13 retailers. The remaining of the power is coming from the grid and is purchased from a 100% sustainable energy supplier at wholesale prices. The installation consists of 160 solar panels.

This is a fantastic achievement for local business. It is also a fine example of how businesses and property developers can make our community more sustainable, by generating clean power on-site.