10:05 am today

Dr Sea Rotmann: from marine ecologist to looking out for those in energy hardship

From Nine To Noon, 10:05 am today
Dr Sea Rotmann's research on energy hardship has been used in New Zealand and around the world.

Photo: Supplied by SEA

When Dr Sea Rotmann moved to New Zealand as a coral reef ecologist, she did not expect to end up as one of the country's leading researchers in energy hardship.

She has appeared at major conferences around the world to discuss her research and insights on the energy poor.

Her roles in New Zealand started in Government implementing sustainability policies.

She has gone on to create her own behaviour change advisory and held multiple roles on energy hardship panels for the Government as well as the International Energy Agency.

It was in those roles she realised most of the world was overly focused on making technology more energy efficient, and there was much less focus on human decisions.

Sea tells Kathryn many more people and businesses than we think are stressed by their power bills.