23 Jun Jun 23 – WE Share initiative gains traction on island
Source: Gulf News – June 23, 2022
Community group Electric Island is a step closer to its goal of a carbon-zero Waiheke with the launch of a new solar power energy-sharing scheme.
Waiheke EnergyShare, or WE Share, is a partnership between the group, local solar technology company Energy Alternatives, Kiwi-owned tech company Our Energy and Ara Ake, a agovemment-funded organisation formerly known as the National New Development Centre.
Energy Alternatives’ Dana Darwin says about a dozen households have signed up for the pilot programme in the first five months, with more in the process of signing on and getting the equipment installed. Current focus is on testing different systems and set-ups and finding what people want from the scheme.
Some people just want solar power, he says, others want to share excess power with family and friends and some want to gift it to anyone who needs help paying the power bills.
Dana says each option needs different administration and support set-ups. “We don’t want to go too fast, we want to get it right.”
Electric Island and Energy Alternatives have been working towards this for over three years -and Our Energy talked to the Waiheke community about its online energy sharing platform at an energy resilience symposium last June.
Our Energy chief executive John Campbell says we need to move towards a smarter, more localised future for energy, which will need different solutions for sharing energy. “Waiheke is well-equipped to be a test case on how we can reduce the total delivered costs of energy and increase energy efficiency at a community level which will really support those who are struggling!’
Ara Ake chief executive Cristiano Marantes says the organisation supports WE Share, as the kind of community-led effort New Zealand needs in our transition to a low carbon-emissions future. Waiheke is a microcosm of New Zealand’s social and economic diversity, with some of the wealthiest people in the country sharing an island with some of the most disadvantaged. “We believe that Waiheke Island has the potential to become a great example of how communities can come together to reduce the gap between the wealthiest and the most vulnerable, through collaboration and innovation.”
• Paul Mitchell