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Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley has announced three appointments to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.

Tom Campbell has been appointed Chair of the Authority. Mr Campbell has had a long-standing interest in improving energy efficiency from roles at Rio Tinto, including as Managing Director (NZ and UK) of Comalco and General Manager of the Tiwai Smelter.

He is Chair of Crown research institute GNS Science and a director of Todd Corporation, PowerNet, Electricity Invercargill and the New Zealand Standards Council.

Investment in oil and gas exploration will receive a significant boost with the award of 10 exploration permits, announced by Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley today.

Seven of the 10 Block Offer 2012 permits are in the Taranaki Basin, two in the Pegasus Basin and one in the Great South Basin. The permits are equally divided between onshore and offshore areas.

“Strong interest in the Block Offer 2012 permitting round proves that New Zealand is a key destination for both domestic and international investment in oil and gas exploration.

The North Island Grid Upgrade Project will ensure New Zealand can keep up with growing electricity demand by providing a new power link into Auckland, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said today.

A new overhead transmission line between Whakamaru, north of Taupo, and Auckland, was officially switched on by Prime Minister John Key today, signifying the completion of the $824 million upgrade project.

The Government insulation programme Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart has reached its original target of insulating 188,500 homes – ahead of schedule and below budget, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley announced today.

“This successful programme has directly improved the living conditions of many thousands of New Zealanders,” he said.

“Better home insulation has a really significant effect on health and well-being.

“The programme has also supported manufacturing in New Zealand and created jobs.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley and Environment Minister Amy Adams have welcomed the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s interim report on her investigation into hydraulic fracturing (fracking).

The interim report finds that the environmental risks associated with fracking can be effectively managed, providing that the best operational practices are implemented and enforced through regulation.

Cabinet has approved further changes to the Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill currently before the Commerce Committee, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

A Supplementary Order Paper recommends changes to current legislation to strengthen the Bill in light of the report of the Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy.

The Royal Commission’s report endorses the proposals being progressed through the current review of the Crown Minerals Regime and reflected in the Bill being considered by the Commerce Committee.

Gas consumers are better informed and supply contracts are becoming more customer-friendly, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said today.

An independent assessment looking at 10 contracts from seven gas suppliers has found a majority of contracts were well aligned with benchmarks in the Gas Industry Company’s Retail Gas Contracts Oversight Scheme. The Gas Industry Company is the gas industry’s co-regulatory body.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley has welcomed the start of the Block Offer 2013 process for awarding oil and gas exploration permits.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment today released the proposed areas for onshore and offshore exploration – in Northland, Taranaki, the East Coast, Canterbury and Southland – and has started consultation with relevant iwi and councils.

The Government is calling for public feedback on proposed changes to royalties and the taxation of minerals.

Two papers – Reviewing the Royalties Regime for Minerals and Taxation of Specified Mineral Mining – have now been released for public consultation. The royalties paper sets out proposals related to Government revenue from minerals, not oil and gas. The tax paper also excludes oil and gas from its proposals, as well as coal.

"Minerals are important to New Zealand’s economy," Mr Heatley said.

The Government's review of the October 2011 Maui gas pipeline outage and subsequent work shows that steps needed to strengthen the gas system are being taken, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said today.

Speaking at the Gas New Zealand Forum in Rotorua, Mr Heatley said that the  Maui pipeline event was a reminder of the importance of gas to the New Zealand economy.

"It was critical that the lessons learned from the outage were captured and acted on, so that gas consumers can be confident in our gas system," he said.

Minister of Energy and Resources Phil Heatley has congratulated Gisborne region homeowners, charitable trusts, and insulation installers on achieving the greatest regional uptake of the Government’s Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart insulation programme.

“In the Gisborne region, over 25 per cent of all homes have used the insulation subsidy to install ceiling or underfloor insulation. This is the highest regional proportion of homes in the country,” Mr Heatley said at a function in Gisborne this morning.

A new tool to assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to cut their power costs by switching electricity providers is a welcome initiative, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

The new tool, announced yesterday, has been developed by the Electricity Authority in partnership with Switchme, and follows the successful “What’s My Number” campaign for the residential market.

A joint economic development study has been commissioned to look at the potential for and benefits of developing an oil and gas industry on the North Island’s East Coast.

The study is a joint initiative between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and regional economic development agency Business Hawke’s Bay, on behalf of eight East Coast councils.

Changes to gas and electrical certification regimes mean safer outcomes for consumers, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley and Building and Construction Minister Maurice Williamson said today.

The changes mean all gas and electrical installation work will now require certification.

The amended regulations will be published in the New Zealand Gazette today and are the result of a review of the regimes to ensure they provide cost-effective public safety outcomes.

A new Bill to strengthen management of Crown-owned minerals passed its first reading in Parliament today.

The Crown Minerals (Permitting and Crown Land) Bill is a key element in the Government’s commitment to promote responsible exploration and production of oil, gas and mineral resources.

“Oil, gas and minerals together contribute over $4 billion to New Zealand’s GDP each year. Crude oil is New Zealand’s fourth largest commodity export earner,” Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said.

Truckies and fleet operators could each save tens of thousands of dollars every year under a new Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) programme launched by Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley at Parliament today.

“Trucks transport door-to-door almost everything that is used or consumed in this country. The cost of freight makes up part of the retail price of most goods and services, so a more efficient transport fleet benefits the wider economy,” Mr Heatley said.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley has welcomed a new report on the economic benefits of future oil and gas discoveries released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today.

“The report responds to the question ‘What if we could develop a second Taranaki in New Zealand?’

The 2012 Deloitte Energy Excellence Awards presented in Auckland last night were welcome recognition of excellence and achievement across the electricity, oil, gas and petroleum industries in New Zealand, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

“The New Zealand energy sector is an essential part of the country’s infrastructure and makes a significant contribution to the economy.

“A thriving and high-achieving energy sector is essential to a growing economy and to improve the standard of living of New Zealanders.

Meridian Energy’s Mill Creek wind farm near Wellington is a welcome boost to the local economy and will be a significant contributor to future renewable energy, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

The Minister took part in a sod-turning ceremony and iwi blessing marking the start of construction of the new 26-turbine wind farm in Ohariu Valley, north-west of Wellington, this morning.

“This project will have significant and wide-ranging benefits to the Wellington region,” he said.

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson and Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley today launched the new Code of Conduct for Minimising Acoustic Disturbance to Marine Mammals from Seismic Survey Operations.

The new code is a set of operational requirements that aim to protect marine mammals from potential impacts of seismic survey work used in oil and gas exploration, seabed minerals prospecting and scientific research.

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley heads overseas today to attend the 10th APEC Energy Ministers Meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, and the Ministerial Forum on Offshore Energy Safety in Norway.

“Energy underpins economic growth. Global energy demand is forecast to increase by 40 per cent between 2009 and 2035, and energy co-operation between members is an important agenda item for APEC,” Mr Heatley said.

“I’m looking forward to discussions with other Ministers representing economies for whom energy is crucial.”

Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley has welcomed two significant wind energy milestones today - Global Wind Day.

Meridian Energy announced today that construction on the Mill Creek wind farm north of Wellington will start soon, and the new Mt Stuart wind farm in the Clutha District has been officially opened.

Global Wind Day is an annual international celebration of wind energy in 40 countries around the world.

New investment in minerals exploration and development will invigorate Northland’s economy, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley says.

The Ministry of Economic Development opened the Northland 2012 competitive tender to manage competitive interest in exploring for metallic minerals today.

“The tender opens the door for us to realise the significant potential for New Zealand to grow the economic contribution made by minerals,” Mr Heatley said.

The opening of the 2012 oil and gas tenders announced today by the Ministry of Economic Development is an important step towards realising the potential of New Zealand’s oil and gas resources, Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley said today.

“Although oil and gas have been successfully and safely extracted in Taranaki for several decades, as a country we are still at a relatively early stage in the development of our oil and gas resources.