This morning Nine to Noon looks at the issue of greening up the country's energy - and the hefty price tag that comes with it.
Two weeks ago on the programme Kathryn spoke with Graeme Peters, who'd just stepped down as the head of the Electricity Networks Association, which represents 27 lines companies around the country. He warned the level of investment needed to maintain the industry's infrastructure and enable a transition to a low-carbon economy would see a doubling of power bills within the next five years.
A report from the Boston Consulting Group last year put the total cost of getting the country to 98 percent renewable electricity by 2030 at $42 billion. So is that feasible? Is the existing structure of the industry working well for customers? Do we need a separate Ministry of Energy help drive policy and regulatory settings? And could technological breakthroughs - like the creation of microgrids discussed on the programme yesterday with researcher Dr Jeremy Watson - help inject some self reliance for households when it comes to power generation?
Kathryn is joined by Megan Woods, Minister for Energy and Resources.
Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
