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An extra 41,000 New Zealand homes will be warmer, drier and healthier, thanks to the extension of the Government’s Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme.

The insulation programme has been extended in Budget 2012 to insulate a total of 230,000 homes.

“Up to another 120,000 New Zealanders will be better off from the health and energy efficiency benefits provided by an insulated home,” Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

The 2012 EECA Awards winners prove that good energy use brings strong economic benefits, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said at the Awards ceremony in Auckland tonight.

Mr Heatley presented this year’s Supreme Award to national carrier Air New Zealand.

“Air New Zealand is a great exemplar of why New Zealand businesses have so much to gain from improving their use of energy,” Mr Heatley said.

Just before I start I’d like to congratulate Jeanette Fitzsimons on her Outstanding Contribution award. Jeanette, you’ve played a central part in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy, and helped with important work that Governments can build on. This is very well deserved recognition and I’m glad I was here for it.

Jeanette and I obviously have different views on many things, but we do share a strong desire to see Kiwi families and businesses, and the wider economy, benefiting from greater uptake of energy efficiency and renewables.

It’s with great pleasure that I am launching the Northland region aeromagnetic survey data today.

The 2011 survey was a significant investment in the future of Northland by the Government, in partnership with the Far North District Council, the Northland Regional Council and Enterprise Northland.

I’m excited about the value of this investment for the people of Northland, and for New Zealand as a whole.

A major project on the geology of Northland has come to fruition with today’s release of the 2011 aeromagnetic survey data, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said at a launch function in Paihia.

“The data will be a huge asset to Northland. It will give Northpland a real edge,” he said.

“We now have a rich database that will be invaluable for a wide range of engineering, scientific and public good science applications.

I’m really pleased to be here today, celebrating the milestone of 150,000 homes insulated as part of the Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart programme.

Altogether, close to 170,000 households have benefited from getting insulation and/or clean heating installed under the programme.

For a bit of context, we estimate that there were about 20,000 insulation retrofits before this programme got started. Around half of these were happening with an EECA subsidy, and half were privately funded. 

High Commissioner Martyn Dunne, thank you for hosting this function tonight.

I want to open by acknowledging Hon David Ridgway from the South Australian Parliament as well as the many New Zealand and  international guests from the oil and gas sector.  I know almost all of you have travelled from across Australia or from overseas to attend APPEA, and be here with us tonight.

The Government welcomes the confirmation today of the conditional sale of the Pike River Coal Mine assets to Solid Energy, the Minister of Energy and Resources, Phil Heatley, said tonight.

“The sale, conditional on a number of mostly procedural matters including transfer of the mining permit, is a positive step towards determining the future of resource development at the mine,” he said.

Thank you. I’m delighted to be here today to meet you and talk to you, and of course to present this year’s Outstanding Achievement Award.

Affordable, well-planned housing has a wonderful effect on people's lives.  Good housing helps to build vibrant and supportive communities and provide children with a safe, healthy environment in which to to grow up.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley today welcomed the announcement of a $365 million refining expansion at Marsden Point in Whangarei that will create 700 new jobs.

“This is great news for the industry and the local community,” Mr Heatley said.

“Spending $365 million on this upgrade will mean 700 new jobs, higher energy efficiency and fewer carbon emissions. That’s fantastic news for Whangarei and for the energy industry in New Zealand.”

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley has welcomed the launch of Petroleum Basin Explorer, a new petroleum exploration data portal developed by GNS Science.

“To realise the potential of our oil and gas resources, we must attract reputable operators who are willing to invest in exploration,” said Mr Heatley.

“Providing good quality information has been a key part of New Zealand’s strategy for attracting that investment. Launching the portal as the 2012 petroleum block offers are being finalised is perfect timing.

Thanks for inviting me here today for the opening of the upgraded Hanson Court apartments.

The Wellington City Council has done a superb job on this upgrade. I congratulate them on that and for their commitment to providing quality, affordable housing for vulnerable Wellingtonians.

Wellington City Council Housing Upgrade Project

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley today welcomed the launch in Canterbury of a campaign to raise energy awareness.

The Christchurch Agency for Energy (CAfE) has launched EA12, a public awareness programme for 2012, starting with events in April and May.

“I applaud CAfE’s initiative, which will help Cantabrians use energy more efficiently and encourage them to look for opportunities to use renewable energy.

This is one of the first chances that I have had as Minister to meet senior people from a very important sector of the renewable electricity generation industry. I’m looking forward to getting to know your business better.

I thought I’d start with the big picture.

New Zealand is a fortunate country in its range of energy resources: we’ve got minerals, oil and gas, wind, hydro and geothermal in various stages of development – it’s a long and exciting list.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley has welcomed the inquiry into fracking announced today by Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Jan Wright.

“I look forward to the results of this inquiry. It will enable us to move forward with confidence and a clear understanding of what’s fact and what’s fiction,” Mr Heatley said.

“This inquiry will enable us to consider all our options around fracking, from the consenting process through to work in the field.

Good morning, and thank you for your invitation to address this conference.  I commend you for your choice of theme – Smart Cities – which is so very relevant to the Christchurch rebuild.  You’ve assembled a very interesting line-up of speakers.

As I am relatively new to the Energy and Resources portfolio, I am also pleased to have the opportunity to get to know the Energy Management Association a little better.  Building issues are of course more familiar to me because of my role as Minister of Housing.

The contribution of renewable energy sources to total annual electricity generation increased to 77 per cent in 2011 from 74 per cent in 2010, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley announced today.

“This is another positive step towards the Government’s goal of 90 per cent renewable generation by 2025,” Mr Heatley said.

Wind generation increased to 4.5 per cent total generation in 2011, and geothermal generation increased to 13.4 per cent of total generation.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley heads overseas today to attend the 13th International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting in Kuwait.

The IEF is the world’s largest gathering of Energy Ministers. Its 88 member countries account for 90 per cent of global oil and gas supply and demand. It is the world’s leading forum for producer/consumer dialogue within the global energy sector, and on energy issues affecting the world.

The Government welcomes the news of the sale of Pike River Mine to Solid Energy, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said today.

“This is a positive step towards a commercial re-opening of the mine. We expect Solid Energy to commit to use its best endeavours to recover the bodies of the deceased miners.

“Any plan for re-opening the mine and recovering the bodies will need to be safe and credible. The Government is not prepared to see any further lives lost at the mine,” says Mr Heatley.

The Government is asking New Zealanders for feedback on proposals to improve the legislation governing oil, gas and mineral permitting.

Minister of Energy and Resources Phil Heatley today released a discussion paper outlining the proposed changes to the Crown Minerals Act 1991, and associated regulations and programmes.

“Energy and mineral resources are major export earners for New Zealand and there is huge potential for them to contribute even more to the economy,” he said.

Good morning and thank you for your invitation to give the opening address at your 2012 Forum.

This is the first chance that I have had, since taking up the Energy and Resources portfolio, to meet with a cross-section of senior people from the energy industry. It is good to be here.

I thought that I would talk first about an important milestone that occurred in the past few months, and which will have a major impact on shaping the way in which the energy industry moves forward over the next few years.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley today welcomed moves by the Ministry of Economic Development to consult on the exploration potential of the Northland region’s mineral resources.

The consultation process formally begins today on specific areas proposed to be included in a competitive tender for metallic mineral exploration permits. This is the first step of a new economic opportunity for the region, Mr Heatley said.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley has welcomed the latest “block offer” process for awarding oil and gas exploration permits in selected areas, released today by the Ministry of Economic Development. The 2012 proposed block offer covers 25 areas.

“While we don’t necessarily expect exploration to be undertaken in all the blocks on offer this year, this is an important step in developing New Zealand’s significant resource wealth,” the Minister said.