Kiwi company Ecobulb’s successful project with EA Networks and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has highlighted the large energy savings potential for New Zealand homes.
2,137 Ashburton households attended a two-day energy efficiency expo in late October and were given five of Ecobulb’s latest-generation energy-saving LED lightbulbs.
A further 207 of these homes then had comprehensive free in-home energy assessments and received various free energy-saving devices and actions.
EA Networks CEO Roger Sutton said the savings will be substantial.
“We are pleased to have brought this project to Ashburton, which is set to save participating Ashburton residents $2.8 million on their power bills over the next 10 years.”
He is now calling on the Government to roll this out across New Zealand to help with the cost-of-living crisis and ease the load on the grid.
Ecobulb’s ultimate goal is to save as much electricity as it takes to power New Zealand for a year. The company is already two-thirds of the way there, said Managing Director Chris Mardon.
“Our aim is to get the rest of the way to our goal by rolling out free Ecobulb LEDs, energy assessments and other free energy-saving measures to one million homes, which could save Kiwis $680 million per year[1] on their power bills.
“It would also help keep the lights on in winter by reducing the winter peak load by an estimated 173MW[2].”
ABOUT EA NETWORKS:
EA Networks, the trading name for Electricity Ashburton Ltd, is a locally owned co-operative network company based in Ashburton. EA Networks owns and operates the region’s electricity distribution network and an advanced fibre optic communications network.
Being locally owned and operated, EA Networks has strong ties to the community. Whilst focussing on infrastructure investments that provide economic benefit to the region, the company also supports community projects.
ABOUT ECOBULB LIMITED:
Christchurch company Ecobulb has 25 million of its “Ecobulbs” in 3.4 million homes in New Zealand, Australia and the United States, and has completed energy assessments in 42,000 New Zealand homes, through 107 projects partnerships with electricity generators, retailers and lines companies, governments, city councils, supermarkets, Shell stations and third-party installers.
These Ecobulbs are saving an estimated $6.0 billion electricity and 19 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emission reductions over their lifetimes, meaning Ecobulb is 64% to its goal to “Save enough electricity to power New Zealand for one year”.
[1] Based on the calculated average $682 per home annual electricity savings for the 9,500 energy assessments and low-cost energy efficiency measures Ecobulb have delivered to New Zealand homes since May 2021 through MBIE “SEEC” co-funding, EECA co-funding and energy sector / city council co-funding and partnerships.
[2] “Evaluation of the economic and environmental benefits of a programme of significant LED uptake proposed by Ecobulb”, Concept Consulting, February 2023 update, 12.6 million LED uptake scenario.
