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The Future of Gas

At Climate & Plumbing, we support New Zealand’s drive towards a carbon zero future and have confidence that gas will continue to play an important role as part of the energy mix.

The future of gas

You may have read about the Climate Change Commission’s recent proposal that gas and LPG connections be banned in homes and businesses after 2025.

If this advice is adopted, it would affect only new connections after 2025. Existing gas and LPG customers would be able to continue operating as normal.

There are over 425,000 NZ homes and businesses using gas energy, and there is plenty of gas for these homes to last for decades. What is also good to know, these Kiwi homes powering their cooking, heating, and hot water, with natural gas contribute to less than 1% of NZ’s greenhouse gas emissions.

In Addition, new low carbon bio-gas and bio-LPG options are on the way. Once these are available for use in New Zealand, it is expected that the fuel can be introduced into supply without gas customers noticing any difference.

Why was this recommendation made?

The Climate Change Commission was set up by the Zero Carbon Act to advise the government on how to make New Zealand net carbon zero by 2050. Overall, this will require very heavy cuts in carbon emissions and that means much less use of the products that emit carbon, such as coal, oil, and even natural gas and LPG (which while having lower carbon emissions, still contribute to New Zealand’s CO2 emissions).

Here, at Climate & Plumbing, we support New Zealand’s drive towards a carbon zero future and have confidence that gas will continue to play an important role as part of the energy mix.

What about my BBQ?

The impact on devices such as BBQs and camp stoves is unclear in the draft advice report. The Commission is targeting new natural gas and LPG connections in households and businesses. Some strong indications have been given that devices such as BBQs and camp stoves would be excluded from a ban.

Is the decision definite?

The Commission’s advice is draft, and everyone has until mid-March to provide their views. The Commission will then prepare a final report that will be delivered to the government by 31 May 2021.

Should I avoid buying gas appliances now?

No. You don’t need to worry about your existing appliances and any appliances you buy today will still be able to be connected today, and you will still have access to fuel for a long time.

What’s more, the new low carbon bio-gas and bio-LPG options being developed are being designed to work with existing pipelines and appliances.

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