About Energy Cutures

New Zealand's transport and business sectors have the greatest potential for significant energy savings, and increased competitiveness through energy efficiency. Households also have much to gain through warmer, drier homes and energy savings. Energy Cultures 2 is a 4-year research project to develop the knowledge and tools to achieve these changes.

Feebate could hit gas guzzlers and encourage electric vehicle use: report

Energy Cultures researcher Barry Barton has recently been interviewed by Stuff.co.nz on his project report with Peter Schuette, which looks at how to get more Kiwis into electric vehicles. http://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/news/77605607/feebate-could-hit-gas-guzzlers-and-encourage-electric-vehicle-use-report.

Sinners, Zealots and Hypocrites

“We don’t spend a lot on energy – we don’t use much. Our consciences are pretty clear…. Do you find people have been really reluctant to be honest because it’s Angela Howell photoso accusatory?” This quote is from one of my many interviews conducted with owner

How to understand household energy-consumption practices

 

Sustainable development is vital for our society. The energy sector plays an important role in the transition from the oil-based era to renewable alternatives, and for restructuring fuel patterns for power generation. This involves generating and using new energy technologies, and reforming energy supply and demand that underpins the structure and growth of the whole

Masters success

Diana Giraldo

Masters student Diana Giraldo Ocampo has recently completed her Masters thesis. Click here to read her fascinating work in developing an energy related Time-Use diary that has been used in the Green Grid research project.

Registration open for OERC Symposium

Don’t forget to register for the 2015 Otago Energy Research Centre Symposium, scheduled for November 19th at Arana College at the University of Otago. Thank you to all those who have already registered.

“Energy Transitions and Technologies”  The 2015 OERC Symposium will bring together academics, industry and community stakeholders undertaking energy-related research and innovation.

Invited Speakers:

Dr Steve Batstone

New Home Performance Advisor Training programme launched

Home energy advisor logoSally Blackwell, one of our Energy Cultures PhD student has been involved in developing the newly launched Home Performance Advisor training programme for those working with energy and houses.

The Home Performance Advisor programme provides intensive science-based training to gain a comprehensive understanding of how

Insulation standards – one small step, but…

The government’s proposal to introduce rental insulation standards is a step in the right direction.  If, as predicted, about 180,000 rental dwellings (one third of rentals) will be upgraded to meet the standard over the next 4 years, this represents a greatly increased rate of insulation retrofitting compared with current rates.

Notwithstanding there are quibbles about

Politics and the Anthropocene

I research energy policy stability in New Zealand. I’m nearing the end of my PhD and after being so highly focused on one small area, I wanted to use this blog to instead talk about what I see as the much larger context my research sits in. In this, I don’t think I’m saying anything

How are cyclists treated in the New Zealand legal system?

After a number of cyclist deaths in New Zealand, cycle advocates and policy makers alike have been pondering issues relating to the penalties imposed on motorists. There have been many press reports lately about stories of cyclist deaths and their bearing on their bereaved families and the subsequent public dismay as to how guilty motorists