Latest / Early Edition with Ryan Bridge / Andrew Eagles: Smart Energy Alliance spokesperson on the decision on the LNG import terminal delayed

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Andrew Eagles: Smart Energy Alliance spokesperson on the decision on the LNG import terminal delayed · Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: So, ACT of New Zealand first, not so keen on
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: signing an LNG contract before, one, it's been greenlit, and two,
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: the consents have been granted. Simeon Brown flagged that contracts
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: could be signed. This was last week. Now, we're not
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: so sure.
• 0:13
  Speaker 2: The priority is to make sure we go through a
• 0:14
  Speaker 2: proper procurement process and we get a good decision. and
• 0:18
  Speaker 2: we're working through that as quickly as we can. If
• 0:21
  Speaker 2: we can sign it before the election, we will. I
• 0:22
  Speaker 2: don't want to rain on Simeon's parade, but tick-tock, time.
• 0:26
  Speaker 3: Is moving on.
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: Yeah, the rain has well and truly come. Andrew Eggles
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: is with us this morning, Smart Energy Alliance spokesperson. Andrew,
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: good morning.
• 0:34
  Speaker 3: Good morning. Great to be here.
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: Good to have you. Is there a bit of strong-arming
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: going on here, do you think, with industry about how
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: this thing actually gets done?
• 0:43
  Speaker 3: Well, I think it has been quite rushed up to
• 0:45
  Speaker 3: this point, so it's really good to see cooler heads
• 0:49
  Speaker 3: have come to the party and put a stop on this.
• 0:53
  Speaker 3: It's a really big cost for New Zealanders, up to
• 0:56
  Speaker 3: $ 2. 7 billion over 15 years, and it's right we slow
• 1:00
  Speaker 3: down and consider it fully.
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: Do we have time to slow down? When's our next
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: dry year due?
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: We do.
• 1:08
  Speaker 3: I mean, I can see why. There may be this
• 1:13
  Speaker 3: perception to rush, but I think huge changes since we
• 1:17
  Speaker 3: last had this dry year. We've had massive renewables build out.
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: We have double the coal storage. We have demand contracts
• 1:26
  Speaker 3: with TY. Methanex is no longer going to be using
• 1:30
  Speaker 3: a lot of gas. and Meridian have the Punakaiki Lake
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: to use for water storage. So that means there's no
• 1:38
  Speaker 3: longer this massive rush. The legislation isn't in place. We
• 1:43
  Speaker 3: can properly consider other options. And it's really important because LNG,
• 1:49
  Speaker 3: you know, we put out a report before Donald Trump
• 1:52
  Speaker 3: went to war with Iran, and that showed that LNG
• 1:56
  Speaker 3: prices are very, very volatile. And we can consider better,
• 2:00
  Speaker 3: lower-cost options for New Zealanders instead. Like what? Well, if
• 2:07
  Speaker 3: we went to what a lot of countries are doing,
• 2:10
  Speaker 3: they're going full steam at electrification. Our report found that
• 2:15
  Speaker 3: we could free up to 40% of gas production through
• 2:19
  Speaker 3: electrification of buildings. and that will save Kiwi families $ 1. 5
• 2:25
  Speaker 3: billion a year and free up vast quantities of gas production.
• 2:29
  Speaker 3: And that's a better, lower cost for New Zealanders and
• 2:34
  Speaker 3: provides that gas for those companies that need it, such
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: as manufacturing and industry that do really need it for
• 2:43
  Speaker 3: their heat sources. There's a lot more we could be
• 2:46
  Speaker 3: doing in that space.
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: All right, Andrew Eagles with us this morning, Smart Energy
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: Alliance spokesperson today.
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: to News Talk ZB from 5 a.m.
• 2:57
  Speaker 3: Weekdays or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.