If National wins ...

[Major von Tempsky]

Its another example of the Government trying to pick winners, and nearly always failing miserably.
Recently a LED bulb won an energy competition in the US. It lasts for 40 years and costs $60 and is much cheaper over the 40 years than el Zorro's one and is obviously a much better choice than the Government's "winner".

I use that merely to show that it is impossible for the Government to foresee the the future and it should therefore leave it to the market and differential pricing.

[slimwin]

Any idea which company makes them?

[fungus pudding]

Its another example of the Government trying to pick winners, and nearly always failing miserably.
Recently a LED bulb won an energy competition in the US. It lasts for 40 years and costs $60 and is much cheaper over the 40 years than el Zorro's one and is obviously a much better choice than the Government's "winner".

I use that merely to show that it is impossible for the Government to foresee the the future and it should therefore leave it to the market and differential pricing.

Precisely. I wonder how long 40 years is, given that the 10 year life ones I bought a while back lasted between a week and maybe 2 years.

[elZorro]

Precisely. I wonder how long 40 years is, given that the 10 year life ones I bought a while back lasted between a week and maybe 2 years.

FP, solar does stack up. When you run out of suitable streams and rivers to dam, like we have, where to next for low-carbon energy? Look up some pricelists. PV has fallen sharply to about $2-$3 a watt here, less if you're looking at bulk imports. $1 a watt is the magic figure where it's a no-brainer to construct a solar farm and sell the electricity to the grid, especially if it's poor land.

Re fluoro bulbs, the payback should be faster than 10 years if they're used a lot. LEDS will come down more, wait a bit.

Here's a bit of local Hamilton news from a manufacturer. Relevant to this thread, because National has left businesses smaller than this to their own devices. Note that Mr Maisey is concentrating effort on the niche high-tech markets, has given up competing in bulk with overseas manufacturing. He's also looking at selling direct to the consumer/user. Looking harder at the figures, a turnover of $30mill and dropping, 320 staff, that's less than the old benchmark of $100,000 per employee to break even. I wonder what his opinion on Labour's R&D tax credits was. He will of course be able to access the alternative funding for companies over $3mill turnover, if the firm does all the paperwork.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times...-manufacturing

[slimwin]

You mean when the greenies want the electricity but don't want to dam any more rivers to get it.

[elZorro]

You mean when the greenies want the electricity but don't want to dam any more rivers to get it.

It's not just greenies, many river users don't want changes either. And a true greenie will be living off-grid already won't they?

http://business.scoop.co.nz/2012/05/...ts-put-on-ice/

[slimwin]

That would be the true greenie party that fly to parliment for their meetings and would ratner we all lived in caves. I like to have a green party but only in opposition. They could never agree how to run a country in a world economy. They have no appreciation that you have to earn money to spend it.

[slimwin]

A lot of farmers already doing this Belg. The ability to sell excess power genereated back to the grid would bring costs down and maybe the catalist for people introducing green technologies on their new builds.

[elZorro]

A lot of farmers already doing this Belg. The ability to sell excess power genereated back to the grid would bring costs down and maybe be the catalist for people introducing green technologies on their new builds.

Some info about this from EECA, looks like the retailers like to buy power back at a lower price, depends on the area. But better than wasting it.
Hmm, EECA, useful outfit, Labour set that up in about 2000.

http://www.energywise.govt.nz/how-to...nected-systems

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA110...nservation.htm

[fungus pudding]

A lot of farmers already doing this Belg. The ability to sell excess power genereated back to the grid would bring costs down and maybe be the catalist for people introducing green technologies on their new builds.

Might even be a good reason to flog off some shares in a power generator.....