carbonNZero electricity to be offered to EV users

An electricity supplier is targeting electric vehicle owners with carboNZero certified electricity, and

Al Yates, director of Ecotricity, claims some have a misconception of the green credentials of our electricity supply.

“Kiwis have been told that our electricity grid is clean and green,” he says. “But the reality is 38% of New Zealands electricity generation comes from thermal sources which emits 4.8 billion kilograms of greenhouse gases each year, the equivalent emissions of 1.2 million cars.

“We have a long way to get to 100% renewable.”

The company says it is supporting the uptake of solar and electric vehicle (EV) customers.

“Solar and Electric Vehicles will be a large part of NZ’s future and we’re embracing it,” Yates claims. “We provide low off peak rates for electric vehicles and competitive solar buy back rates during the day.”

The company is also supplying the electricity for the privately-funded ChargeNet’s network of rapid chargers.

carboNZero certification of electricity, which underpins Ecotricity’s electricity offering, was developed by Enviro-Mark Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Landcare Research, a New Zealand Crown Research Institute.

The carboNZero certification scheme follows internationally accepted Product Category Rules and the technical requirements have been independently peer reviewed by overseas experts.

Ecotricity undergoes an independently verified annual inventory measurement and offset cycle including purchasing electricity generation from sources including wind, hydro and solar.

Ecotricity is 100% Kiwi owned and 49% Community owned.