The HB Chamber, with principal sponsor Unison, hosted an ‘energy summit’ this week that by all accounts was very well attended and informative. [Unfortunately, although this is a pet topic for BayBuzz, I was required to be in Wellington most of the week.]
The release issued by the Chamber indicates a comprehensive assortment of presenters and attendees – Transpower, Lodestone Energy, EECA, Electricity Networks Aotearoa, Powerco, the Sustainable Business Network, Pan Pac Forest Products Ltd, and a range of local businesses. Plus council reps, professional services, finance and banking, and community & non-profit groups.
Speaking for Unison, chief executive Jaun Park commented: “Unison is here to help Hawke’s Bay businesses navigate the energy transition and today was a tangible expression of that commitment. The quality of the questions from the floor showed how seriously local businesses are taking their energy planning. We leave with a clearer picture of what businesses need from us and from the wider sector.”
The Chamber promises to continue the conversation.
Lodestone Energy, partnering with Centralines to build a utility scale solar farm in CHB (BayBuzz reported here), used the occasion to announce its consumer-focused EASY Plan which will be driven by the solar farm’s electricity generation.
“The plan allows renters, apartment residents, and those unable to install rooftop systems, access to the benefits of local energy,” says Lodestone.
Through the EASY Plan, customers are offered a daily power allocation at a set daily price, with the customers’ estimated annual usage matched to a portion of the projected electricity production from the local farm. The innovative plan will ensure a customer’s annual consumption will be fully covered over the year.
“We’ve called it the EASY Plan as the Estimated Annual Solar Yield of the farm provides much the same basic outcome of installing solar on a rooftop. Except in our plan, we smooth out the intermittency of weather and daylight periods for the customer. We convert the variability into a simple payment that takes away the worry,” says Lodestone Energy Managing Director Gary Holden.
The plan provides extra rewards for shifting power usage away from the evening peak period. Customers will be credited for using less than their evening allocation between 6pm-9pm. This means shifting consumption is a powerful way to lower their power bill.
Holden says: “Through this plan we’ve created a product that benefits customers and the wider electricity system. By providing a strong reward for customers who can choose different times to use electricity, we’re encouraging smarter energy use and helping reduce pressure on the grid during peak periods.”
With the size of farm already set, the offer can only serve a limited number of customers. To ensure customer allocation is fair and equitable, Lodestone is opening early registrations of interest.
To find out more or reserve a spot in the queue, Lodestone is taking registrations of interest at: www.lodestone.co.nz
