1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Could we be better using our electricity? Well, how do 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: we get better use I should say out of electricity 3 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: in our homes? Heat pumps could ease some of our 4 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: energy woes. A report from the Green Building Council shows 5 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: KIWIS could save up to one and a half billion 6 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: bucks off our annual energy bills if we moved to 7 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: full heat pump adoption. It would also help out with 8 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 1: gas supplayers. As Richard Briggs is with EKE, the Energy 9 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: Efficiency Authority and joins me. Now, Richard, good morning. 10 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 2: Good morning, Ryan, you very good, thank you. 11 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: So what is how much would we save? You know, 12 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,199 Speaker 1: give us a per household, your average household. What are 13 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: we saving. 14 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 2: On a heat pump? So you know, the way the 15 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: heat pump works is that it's basically moved ambient heat 16 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,320 Speaker 2: and compresses it rather than using electrical resistance to generate it. 17 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 2: So typically they're about three and a half times more 18 00:00:55,200 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 2: efficient than a resistive heater. So when you look put 19 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 2: it on a national level, that's a significant amount of 20 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 2: energy efficiency. About sixty percent of homes use a heater today. 21 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 2: They cost around four thousand dollars to buy, so they're 22 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 2: not cheap. They're quite expensive. But very very cheap to run, 23 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:23,959 Speaker 2: significantly cheaper than a resistance heater, So probably savings in 24 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 2: the order of about one hundred and eighty dollars a 25 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,680 Speaker 2: year per household. 26 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,959 Speaker 1: So it's it's significant. But the problem is the upfront cost, right, 27 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,040 Speaker 1: That's why people that's why people haven't switched. 28 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 2: Yes, you know, what you've got to look at when 29 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 2: you look at these appliances is if you're in the 30 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 2: position to be able to do so, is to look 31 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: at the total life cost of those. You know, typically 32 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 2: appliances that are more energy efficient are higher upfront cost, 33 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 2: but the operating costs are so much lower that when 34 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 2: you look at it over a period of time that 35 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 2: significant savings can be made. 36 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: And in terms of the increased demand for electricity, I mean, 37 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,119 Speaker 1: if everyone switched to a heat pump, would be using 38 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: more electricity, presumably would that push the price up? 39 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,640 Speaker 2: Well, you've got to look at the If everyone uses 40 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: more electricity, of course the price goes up. But the 41 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: conversations we're seeing that the market at the moment is 42 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: all about more supply. We just need more supply, and 43 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 2: you know, by increasing supply does come at a cost, 44 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 2: and that cost ends up with the bill payer. But 45 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,239 Speaker 2: our role is the government lead agency on energy use. 46 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,239 Speaker 2: We're focusing on the demand side, and so we need 47 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 2: to ensure that the energy we do have available now 48 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 2: is used efficiently, and heat pumps is a good example 49 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 2: of that. But every killer what hour you don't use 50 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:54,239 Speaker 2: is a killer what hour that doesn't need to be 51 00:02:55,360 --> 00:03:00,119 Speaker 2: generated and distributed. So there's the savings to be made. 52 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: And so you know, we've identified through modeling that right 53 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,320 Speaker 2: now is up to twenty percent of what we consume 54 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 2: today across homes and businesses can be reduced. And that's 55 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 2: a combination of more efficient appliances. I mean, everyone eats 56 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 2: their home today and if they transferred to a heat 57 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 2: fun there'd be that savings, yeah, which is a significant 58 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 2: amount of reduction. You know, when you look at new generation, 59 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 2: you're probably looking at a cost of around sixty to 60 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 2: seventy dollars a mega whateur, whereas energy efficiency measures would 61 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 2: cost New Zealand probably the magnitude of fifteen to fifty 62 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 2: dollars a mega what air. So it's actually better to 63 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 2: use energy more efficiently than just to seek to generate 64 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 2: more and use it inefficiently. 65 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: Richard, appreciate your time This morning interesting stuff Richard Briggs 66 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: with the Energy Efficiency and Conservational Authority ECAP. 67 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 2: For more familiar edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live to 68 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 2: News Talks it Be from five am weekdays, or follow 69 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio