regional economic

More than 500,000 Cheaper Home Batteries have now been installed under the Albanese Labor Government’s program – helping households and businesses store cheap solar, cut power bills and take pressure off the grid. Australia already has the highest uptake of rooftop solar in the world, with more than one in three Australian households having solar on their roof. The Cheaper Home Batteries Program is helping households get more out of that investment, by making it cheaper to install a battery an…

A solar farm near Foxton is the 32nd project and eighth renewable energy project to be granted Fast-track approval. Genesis Energy lodged its application in February 2026, with approval taking around three and a half months since the appointment of an independent expert panel. “The 220 MWp solar farm will generate approximately 345 GWh of renewable electricity annually, enough to power approximately 47,000 homes,” says Mr Bishop. “Reliable renewable electricity generation is critical to suppo…

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER:It's great to be here in Castle Hill with Minister for Energy and Climate Change Chris Bowen, with a fellow who's known to everyone, Ian Thorpe, a legendary Australian and a brand ambassador for Fox, who are a battery company, with Dave McElrea from the Smart Energy Council, and our host Kunal Kapoor from RKS Energy Solutions. It is great to be here, and what we're seeing playing out here is a great Australian story. What we know is that Australia is a world lea…

Did you find what you were looking for? Find what you were looking for? Help us improve AI search results by giving yourfeedback. From:Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment Minister for Climate, Energy, and the Environment Darragh O'Brien has highlighted that this week saw the highest ever level of daily solar electricity generation on the national grid. On Tuesday (yesterday), EirGrid data shows that (grid-scale) solar generation topped 1,258 MW just before 1pm – the highest lev…

More than 1,000 Hunter jobs are secure, after the Albanese and the Minns Labor Governments have jointly contributed $2.5 billion to secure the future of aluminium smelting in the region. The joint investment will deliver a long-term renewable energy solution for the Tomago Aluminium smelter that supports commercially sustainable operations beyond 2028 and accelerates decarbonisation of more than 10 per cent of NSW’s electricity grid, supporting and securing the future of one of the state’s most…

A new petroleum mining permit will bring additional natural gas to the domestic market over the next decade and generate valuable export earnings from new oil production, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. Regulator New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals (NZP&M) has today granted Matahio NZ Onshore Limited a 10-year petroleum mining permit in the onshore Taranaki region covering approximately 19 sq km for the Puka field, a small oil and gas field discovered in 2012. Included in the permit area is…

Thank you for the opportunity to speak this morning. It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the Hydrogen Hui, an event that brings together a diverse range of speakers and attendees from so many different sectors, all with an interest in unlocking New Zealand’s hydrogen opportunities. I would like to thank Dr Linda Wright in particular, the New Zealand Hydrogen Council, Earth Sciences New Zealand and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for their work in organising this event. …

The Government has set aside $30 million in the Regional Infrastructure Fund for projects that will help grow the hydrogen sector, Regional Development, Resources, and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones made the announcement at a hydrogen sector hui in Christchurch today. “Hydrogen has huge potential to become a valuable part of a diversified and resilient renewable energy future for New Zealand,” Mr Jones says. “Hydrogen could play an important role in reducing emissions in…

The Regional Infrastructure Fund will provide $15 million for a new facility in Southland to produce critical minerals and hydrogen, Regional Development, Resources, and Associate Energy Minister Shane Jones says. “The Coalition Government is supporting Aspiring Materials Limited with funding to develop a $31m commercial-scale plant that will bring its world-leading technology to market,” Mr Jones told a hydrogen sector hui in Christchurch today. The company has developed a patented process th…

Five hundred schools have been selected for solar technology under the Government’s plan to improve schools’ energy affordability and resilience, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Education Minister Erica Stanford say. The Ministers announced the list of schools today at Te Papapa School in Auckland, the first to have solar panels installed as part of the pilot for the Government’s $30 million Solar on schools programme, announced as part of Budget 2026. “Today’s announcement moves the programm…

A Canterbury solar farm is the first in New Zealand to be granted fast-track approval. This is the 29th project and 7th renewable energy project to be approved through the Fast-track process. Lodestone Energy Limited lodged its application in September 2025, with approval taking around eight months since the appointment of an independent expert panel. "Haldon Solar Farm near Lake Benmore, 14 km southeast of Twizel, is expected to generate 370 GWh of renewable energy annually, enough to power …