The government has announced a review into solar panel installation, which it describes as a “red tape nightmare”.

Regulation Minister David Seymour says the aim is to make New Zealand the simplest place in the developed world to install solar.

Tim Dudek, who owns installation company Solar Craft and has 16 years in the business, told Morning Report New Zealand’s standards have only just been changed to meet those of Australia, and demand has increased around 400 percent in the past few months.

“That’s taken probably a decade of lobbying by the locals or by SEANZ (Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand).

“Our standards for solar installation have only just been brought up to what I would call the current standard. So I think the red tape that we go through at the moment is sufficient considering the risk of the product and what we’re installing on people’s properties,

“The systems are large, and they’re providing a lot of power and a lot of benefit. But with that, I guess with the power that comes from it, it needs a few safety checks.”

He said while installations could take time, that was just part of any electrical job.

“I would say an installation takes between a month and two months from whoa to go. There are a couple of tickboxes that need to be done with the various lines companies and retailers, electricians and inspectors, but it’s just part of any electrical job, no different to a switchboard or a heat pump installation.”

Dudek said some newer DIY systems did not need any additional red tape, however they were currently illegal in New Zealand.

“I’ve been looking at these new balcony solar systems. They’re a kind of borderline case.

“There’s lots of advantages to them. But there is also some compliance that they would need to go through to be able to connect to our grid and homes.”

Dudek said the biggest issue that needed attention was access to low-cost finance. He said the figures used by the ministry were outdated by about 10 years.

“I would say our average is between $25,000 and $40,000 for a system.

“The systems have got more powerful as time’s gone on, people are putting electric cars at home, and they just need more power.

“They’re just trying to do more with it. We’re trying to shift from petrol and diesel through to electric, and that’s got to come from somewhere.”

He said the current fuel price had accelerated interest in solar energy.

“Supply is pushed at the moment. It’s had about a 400 percent increase over the last three to four months.

“The fuel crisis has put the crunch on it, and we are coping. The government only implemented the training regime in November last year, so that we can train up electricians to install the systems and just do it safely. So just have to roll with the punches and grow as the industry grows.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

The Regulation Minister is taking aim at what he says is excessive red tape around rooftop solar that makes it too hard for home-owners and businesses to set up panels.

David Seymour is ordering a review of the installation process, saying he wants to make New Zealand the easiest place in the world to switch to solar.

He said just three to four percent of New Zealand households used solar, despite average power savings of about $1000 a year.

“Solar installation in New Zealand is a red tape nightmare. Just getting it approved can take months,” he said.

“There are up to eight layers of sign-off before small-scale solar systems can be switched on. This requires up to five separate site visits, from four separate entities. For example, during installation the installer often cannot turn off or reconnect the fuse, update the meter, or carry out the required independent electrical inspection. These tasks must be done by other entities, requiring additional site visits.”

In parts of Australia, approval of similar low-risk solar could be granted within 24 hours, Seymour said.

“In Victoria Australia there is one layer of sign-off for small-scale solar installation. The whole solar installation process is managed and carried out by the chosen installer. Standard installations are inspected by a licensed electricity inspector without a site visit. Photos clearly show compliance. A site visit is only carried out in person if something unusual or non compliant is identified in the photos.”

Seymour said more than 30 percent of Australian households used solar power.

He made the announcement at Electric Cherries near Cromwell on Thursday, which is believed to be the world’s first fully-electric farm, powered largely by solar.

Owner Mike Casey, who is also the chief executive of Rewiring Aotearoa, said regulations needed to keep pace with technology and he was pleased to see the government looking at ways to help.

“In Australia, virtual inspections allow the installs to be approved remotely and much more rapidly and other countries have centralised systems that don’t require a physical visit and use an auditing process to ensure standards are being met,” he said.

Researchers have said New Zealanders investing in solar will almost certainly save more money than they spend.

Casey said Rewiring Aotearoa wanted to see national standards across lines companies for solar and legalisation for plug-in solar set-ups which were becoming popular overseas.

“We need more solar in New Zealand, it is very safe when installers are well-trained and given our very low uptake rates at this stage, it is unlikely to affect the network. Approval should be instant here.”

Bureaucracy not the biggest barrier – solar expert

Alan Brent, professor and chairperson in Sustainable Energy Systems at Victoria University of Wellington, said upfront cost was the biggest barrier for most households considering solar – not the installation time.

“It’s not a technical issue in terms of how long it takes. I mean, I have a solar and a battery system in my house, and they came and installed it within a day. We have all the regulations in place … all the technology is there,” he said.

“It is quite a significant investment up front. And it’s quite complicated for people to think about what the long-term savings will be.”

Brent said the best thing officials could do to boost solar uptake was a public information campaign highlighting what residents would spend and what they would save.

The government could also help residents with the upfront costs, he said.

“Something similar to what we have with industry, like the GiDI (Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry) fund – that might be an option … a long-term loan that’s underwritten by the government,” he said.

German and Australian residents also received “quite reasonable” tariffs for returning electricity to the grid, he said.

“That’s provided the incentive for people to put up solar systems,” he said.

However Seymour said cutting red tape would help with upfront cost.

“The more people involved the more expensive it is. So if you’ve got to pay someone to come and do your disconnection and then another person to do the installation, then the first person comes back to do the reconnection, that all adds cost. But I think it’s also about hesitancy and being able to just do it. If you knew that you could get this done in a weekend, you’d be a lot more likely to do it than if you’d heard that your neighbours ended up taking a couple of months to do something that could have been much simpler,” he said.

“If I can honestly say that we have the simplest, most straightforward system in the world, then how much people take advantage of that is up to them.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

A major new 1.5 million tonne per year urea fertiliser project is set to be developed in Southland, offering an environmentally innovative and strategically significant alternative to imported urea fertiliser.

The proposed $3 billion project, intended to be located about 30 kilometres northeast of Invercargill, will give New Zealand’s agricultural sector self-sufficiency, which is critical to the long-term security and performance of an economy heavily dependent on agriculture.

Developed by Australian-based Victorian Hydrogen, the project will also deliver significant investment and employment opportunities in Southland.

“The Southland lignite-to-urea project represents a transformative opportunity for New Zealand’s fertiliser supply chain,” says Victorian Hydrogen executive director Allan Blood.

“By combining proven global technologies with local innovation, we aim to deliver high-quality urea at competitive prices while supporting long-term sustainable agricultural growth and addressing climate challenges.”

New Zealand currently imports 500,000 tonnes of urea annually. In addition New Zealand manufactures 265,000 tonnes, but falling gas supply means domestic production might end.
The proposed facility aims to:

Enhance domestic supply and reduce reliance on volatile international markets.
Stabilise fertiliser costs and mitigate foreign exchange and cost risks for farmers.
Produce additional products such as AdBlue, a diesel exhaust additive to reduce emissions.
Support peaking power electricity demand of up to 114 MW at any one time by temporarily reducing production.

The Southland facility will employ a proven lignite gasification process:

Lignite is reacted with oxygen at high temperatures and low pressures to produce syngas.
Syngas is reacted with steam to produce hydrogen.
Hydrogen is combined with atmospheric nitrogen to produce ammonia.
Ammonia is then reacted with captured carbon dioxide from previous reactions to produce urea.

“The technology is well established globally. The world’s latest urea plant, using technology identical to that we would use in Southland, was commissioned in Zambia in late 2025. The Southland project is about applying this existing technology in a smarter and cleaner way,” Mr Blood says.

“We are committed to mitigating the greenhouse gas impacts before the project proceeds, not after.

“Environmental management will be central to the project’s design, with various opportunities being looked at. These include using CO₂ to make algae-based cattle feed, liquid fuels, construction materials, and in inhibitor technologies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.”

Unlike traditional urea production, which relies heavily on expensive natural gas, this project will convert lignite to gas while generating its own electricity, some of which can be exported to the grid.

Mr Blood emphasises the company’s dedication to transparent engagement with stakeholders, including local iwi, Ngāi Tahu rūnanga, councils, farmers and landowners across the 3,141-hectare exploration area that has been applied for.

“Mining operations will be designed to minimise disruption, with progressive rehabilitation and more-than-fair compensation for affected landowners,” he says.

“There will be no requirement to acquire farms Mining will occur in long, narrow strips affecting only a small portion of land at any one time. Land will be rehabilitated progressively, and any loss of productivity will be fully compensated by a multiple. We hope that the project will be seen as a substantial additive to annual farm income.”

The project is expected to apply for approvals under the fast-track regulatory process. Key milestones include:

Applying for regulatory consents and engaging with landowners.
Completing initial geological and hydrological studies by spring 2026.
Progressing to detailed engineering and process design.
A targeted three-year pathway from the conclusion of the very detailed studies currently underway, to full production.

“The initial economic analysis looks very good indeed and hence the desire to move forward quickly,” Mr Blood says.

“New Zealand is currently exposed to global fertiliser shocks it can’t control. This project is about providing national self-sufficiency for the next 50 years plus – producing what farmers need in New Zealand, with world-class technology and robust environmental safeguards,” Mr Blood says.

MIL OSI

An Australian-led project could see Southland’s lignite, or brown coal, reserves developed into urea fertiliser.

Victorian Hydrogen is proposing a $3 billion plant to be located 30km northeast of Invercargill.

The company says it could deliver 1.5 million tonnes a year of urea fertiliser, making New Zealand’s agricultural sector fully self sufficient.

Urea created using natural gas is by far the most widely traded fertiliser in the world, and while New Zealand produces some locally, the bulk is imported.

Victorian Hydrogen’s plan would involve building a facility that can turn the Southland lignite into gas that can then be transformed into urea.

Executive director Allan Blood said it was a proven technology that was already being used in a new plant commissioned in Zambia in late 2025.

Blood expected the project, which would not involve accquiring farms, would seek fast track consenting approval.

He said environmental managment would be central to the project’s design and the company was committed to mitigating greenhouse gas impacts before the projects proceeded.

Former government owned company Solid Energy investigated a similar lignite-to-gas plan in Southland but dropped the idea in 2013.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Solar advocates, electricians and consumer campaigners are among those calling on the government to ditch its plans for an LNG import terminal and consider other options.

The Sustainable Energy Association and six other organisations, including the Green Building Council, Master Electricians, and Consumer NZ, have joined together to present an alternative proposal to deal with the country’s winter energy problem.

The new Smart Energy Alliance says that includes rapidly rolling out rooftop solar, moving domestic users off gas, and better managing the country’s hydro lakes.

The government announced in February it would proceed with plans to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility in Taranaki, with whole-of-life costs spread across all electricity users through a levy.

The proposal, widely criticised at the time, has attracted renewed opposition after Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz prompted the price of fossil fuels – including LNG – to spike.

Gentailer chief executives were the latest to express doubts at the energy sector’s conference last week.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said in a statement last month that the LNG terminal was selected from a shortlist of five options that it considered “timely, feasible and of sufficient scale to meet dry year needs”.

It would also be beneficial to major industrial gas users, who had been forced to limit production or shut up shop altogether in recent years as domestic gas supply dwindled, the ministry said.

It said rooftop solar would support energy resilience in the longer term, but ruled it out as an immediate solution to the dry-year risk.

A Cabinet paper said distributed solar would not supply enough additional energy during winter, when the country was most likely to experience an energy shortage.

The options the ministry seriously considered – including more diesel and coal generation – were all capable of generating 1.5 terawatt hours of generation, no matter the weather, and could be deployed with a few years.

Smart Energy Alliance spokesperson Gareth Williams said the organisation did not accept the argument that solar was incapable of supporting the dry-year risk.

“It’s correct that solar isn’t the greatest resource in winter, but the modelling that we’ve done… shows that solar is really useful in terms of dry-year because it enables the [hydro] lakes to go into autumn and winter much fuller than they do currently,” he said.

“It was a very bold statement that it’s not relevant.”

What the country really needed was for politicians to agree on a cross-party energy strategy that properly weighed up all the options, Williams said.

“This constant change as to what we’re looking to do through every election cycle is just not going to lead to a good outcome.”

However, distributed rooftop solar was among the obvious solutions that should be rolled out straight away, he said.

Countries as diverse as Australia, Hungary and Pakistan have achieved massive uptake of rooftop solar and battery installations within a few years of rolling out government incentives.

A truly meaningful roll-out here would also need financial incentives.

“[Low-cost] financing by itself has some impact but the real acceleration comes when there’s some kind of rebate,” he said.

“Once it’s moving it has its own momentum and you don’t need [incentives] anymore.”

While solar capacity was built up, coal – which was already in the country – was capable of filling the gap that LNG would otherwise close.

“There is sufficient back-up from the Huntly power station using coal,” Williams said.

“Clearly we don’t want that to be the long-term solution… but as a temporary stop-gap for the next three or four years until those other projects can be accelerated, then we’re perfectly covered.”

Incentives could be particularly targeted at domestic gas users – which would have the additional benefit of saving limited gas supply for major industrial users who had limited alternatives, he said.

“The modelling we did looked for that 2TWh of additional generation, and we modelled it by reducing the amount of gas that was being used for electricity generation down to 45 percent of what it has been over the last three years.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Solar advocates, electricians and consumer campaigners are among those calling on the government to ditch its plans for an LNG import terminal and consider other options.

The Sustainable Energy Association and six other organisations, including the Green Building Council, Master Electricians, and Consumer NZ, have joined together to present an alternative proposal to deal with the country’s winter energy problem.

The new Smart Energy Alliance says that includes rapidly rolling out rooftop solar, moving domestic users off gas, and better managing the country’s hydro lakes.

The government announced in February it would proceed with plans to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import facility in Taranaki, with whole-of-life costs spread across all electricity users through a levy.

The proposal, widely criticised at the time, has attracted renewed opposition after Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz prompted the price of fossil fuels – including LNG – to spike.

Gentailer chief executives were the latest to express doubts at the energy sector’s conference last week.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) said in a statement last month that the LNG terminal was selected from a shortlist of five options that it considered “timely, feasible and of sufficient scale to meet dry year needs”.

It would also be beneficial to major industrial gas users, who had been forced to limit production or shut up shop altogether in recent years as domestic gas supply dwindled, the ministry said.

It said rooftop solar would support energy resilience in the longer term, but ruled it out as an immediate solution to the dry-year risk.

A Cabinet paper said distributed solar would not supply enough additional energy during winter, when the country was most likely to experience an energy shortage.

The options the ministry seriously considered – including more diesel and coal generation – were all capable of generating 1.5 terawatt hours of generation, no matter the weather, and could be deployed with a few years.

Smart Energy Alliance spokesperson Gareth Williams said the organisation did not accept the argument that solar was incapable of supporting the dry-year risk.

“It’s correct that solar isn’t the greatest resource in winter, but the modelling that we’ve done… shows that solar is really useful in terms of dry-year because it enables the [hydro] lakes to go into autumn and winter much fuller than they do currently,” he said.

“It was a very bold statement that it’s not relevant.”

What the country really needed was for politicians to agree on a cross-party energy strategy that properly weighed up all the options, Williams said.

“This constant change as to what we’re looking to do through every election cycle is just not going to lead to a good outcome.”

However, distributed rooftop solar was among the obvious solutions that should be rolled out straight away, he said.

Countries as diverse as Australia, Hungary and Pakistan have achieved massive uptake of rooftop solar and battery installations within a few years of rolling out government incentives.

A truly meaningful roll-out here would also need financial incentives.

“[Low-cost] financing by itself has some impact but the real acceleration comes when there’s some kind of rebate,” he said.

“Once it’s moving it has its own momentum and you don’t need [incentives] anymore.”

While solar capacity was built up, coal – which was already in the country – was capable of filling the gap that LNG would otherwise close.

“There is sufficient back-up from the Huntly power station using coal,” Williams said.

“Clearly we don’t want that to be the long-term solution… but as a temporary stop-gap for the next three or four years until those other projects can be accelerated, then we’re perfectly covered.”

Incentives could be particularly targeted at domestic gas users – which would have the additional benefit of saving limited gas supply for major industrial users who had limited alternatives, he said.

“The modelling we did looked for that 2TWh of additional generation, and we modelled it by reducing the amount of gas that was being used for electricity generation down to 45 percent of what it has been over the last three years.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Explainer – With the Iran war leaving supply chains choked off, pain at the pump is rising, but you still need to drive. How can you get the most out of your tank? Here’s some options.

The price of 91 petrol has now heading towards $4 a litre in some parts of the country, the government is mulling weighing in and some have begun to hoard petrol ahead of possible shortages.

Feeling uncertain? Get used to it, for now.

“Nobody has a clue about future petrol, diesel and aviation fuel supplies and their costs,” Massey University Emeritus Professor in Climate Mitigation and Sustainable Energy Ralph Sims said.

There are plenty of other options – public transport, biking or walking if you can, pivoting to electric vehicles – but not everyone can easily take up those alternatives.

If you’re looking to ‘fuelmaxx’ your efficiency, here is more of what experts suggest:

Combine your errands

NZTA estimates that short trips use 20 percent more fuel when your engine is cold.

So if you can manage to tie together things like school runs with the grocery shop and a run to the chemist, you can save your overall petrol consumption, AA fuel spokesperson and former general manager of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Terry Collins told RNZ’s Afternoons.

“Do it all in one trip when the car’s warm – save the fuel, tick off all those little jobs, instead of making them independent trips every time.”

Steady on the acceleration, mate

Sims said that the majority of drivers can save up to 20 percent of fuel use with a few simple changes.

“Most people don’t understand how to drive a car efficiently,” he told RNZ recently.

“I see people accelerate to a red light and then brake heavily, and if you’re running on low tyre pressures, it consumes much more fuel.”

Collins said a lot of it boils down to how you’re driving.

“When we hop in a car what we really want is momentum – movement. So what we do is we use the fuel to gather momentum, but I see every day people wasting that momentum by braking unnecessarily.

“They’re not anticipating the traffic in rush hour, so they’re driving up behind the next car and putting the brakes on. If they could look ahead a number of cars and see that everybody already had their brakes on, they could just drift up behind the other car very slowly and brake.

“Every time you put your foot on the brake, you have lost that momentum for the fuel that you’ve paid for. So think that every time I put my foot on the brake, I’m spending money.”

It’s worth watching your speed on highways, too – Sims said that typically a car at 110km/h uses 10 percent more fuel per kilometre than when travelling at 90 km/h due to greater air friction.

Once upon a time, manual or stick shifts were typically more fuel efficient than automatic transmission vehicles, but thanks to improved technology that’s changing and modern automatics are often as good or slightly better than manuals.

The more you carry, the more you use

Carrying heavy loads will obviously slow your car down, but there are also smaller drags to be aware of.

Modern cars are carefully designed and put through wind tunnels to get the most aerodynamic shape possible, Collins said.

Even leaving roof racks on your car that you never use can add to the drag.

“The moment you put those roof racks on you’re disturbing all that air flow.

“People think ah, they’re OK, but you’d be surprised how much that aerodynamic change affects your fuel consumption.”

Keep up your maintenance

Don’t just think about car services as a way to get your next Warrant of Fitness ticked off. Regular care for your vehicle’s systems can save you money in the long run.

“One of the things we often overlook is just the simple thing of checking your tyres,” Collins said.

Under-inflated tyres can add 10 to 12 percent to your fuel bill, he said.

“You’re just adding drag. … It’s working harder to get that momentum I was talking about earlier.”

Your tyre’s correct pressure should be listed on the vehicle label inside the door or in the handbook. It’s best to check the pressure when the tyres are cold to see how yours are looking.

A dirty air filter or fuel filter can also compromise your efficiency, while old and worn spark plugs may mean you’re not getting enough ignition.

“Just that simple servicing on a regular basis to make sure those jobs are done are going to save you in the vicinity of 10 to 20 percent of your fuel bill,” Collins said.

To A/C, or not to A/C?

This is one of the great existential questions of driving – is it better to wind down your windows or pump up the air con? Studies have had conflicting results and ultimately it’s better to be flexible.

“While it’s more fuel efficient to have it on at 100km/h than it is to have the windows down creating drag, the air con can use around 10 percent more fuel,” the AA’s website states. “You may need to find that balance of comfort and economy.”

A lot may depend on how old your car is and how well maintained the engine and air con systems are.

It’s best to mix and match if you can – windows down and air con off when you’re at town speeds and windows up and air con on if you’re on the motorway.

In general any other unnecessary widgets on your car may also be creating a drag – such as leaving your rear window defroster on long after it’s done the job, or those heated seats when there’s no need to.

Use the technology if you’ve got it

Many newer vehicles are equipped with Auto Stop-Start systems which automatically shut off the engine when a vehicle is in congestion or at traffic lights. As soon as you take your foot off the brake, the engine restarts without delay, Ford NZ explains on its website.

“Your climate control fan, audio system, and headlamps still work while your engine is off for your comfort,” Ford noted.

Collins said some people turn off these features on their vehicles, but it’s counterproductive if you want to save money.

“Some people find that annoying – it’s there for a reason. It’s because those cars have to meet energy efficiency standards. … So every time you turn (that feature) off, you’re actually defeating the purpose of saving fuel.”

Collins said he often commutes over a hill, and said there’s many tricks you can use to avoid consuming excess fuel. Gravity can help to be your brake when going up a hill, and going down, other methods can help keep your foot off the accelerator – such as using those other driving modes you may often ignore on the gear shift.

“I have an automatic but I put it in sports mode, which holds it in gear longer. That acts as an engine brake, so I don’t really need to brake on a lot of the corners. I just go through them smoothly, not touching, and my fuel consumption’s on zero.”

And if you can, avoid rush hour

Sitting idling in traffic will waste significant fuel, so – if your job allows it – consider off-peak travel to avoid those long queues, or working from home certain days a week if your employer permits.

Sims said that many of these steps are easy, but changing habits is harder.

“It’s all pretty basic and the science is well understood for cars, trucks, and buses. But to change human behaviour is always the challenge.”

He called for the government to step up fuel conservation messaging.

“What the government needs to do urgently is to run a national education campaign (similar to what was accomplished during Covid times using all media opportunities) to inform drivers how they can save both fuel and money.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

The Automobile Association is advising people to take steps that could help save fuel as the Middle East conflict bumps up prices.

Principal advisor Terry Collins said people can use less fuel by driving safely, checking tire pressure and taking fewer trips.

“Getting the car up to operating temperature … doing all those trips in one go coming back you’re saving fuel.”

Prices have been going up because of the volatility on the wholesale market caused by the conflict in the Middle East following the US-Israel strikes on Iran.

Collins said saving on the cost of fuel can come down to taking simple steps like carrying less weight in the car.

“Don’t drive all week with extra weight unnecessary like golf clubs or other things in your car that aren’t doing anything other than sitting in there. Weight will always make you use more fuel.”

Collins advised people to take a roof rack off their car, as it will make the aerodynamics of the vehicle better.

Checking tyre pressure was also on the list to save fuel, as he said it can decrease in colder weather.

He is also urging people to use an app, like Gaspy, to find the cheapest petrol station near them.

“It’s a homogeneous product which means basically its the same where ever you get it and so buying it by the cheapest price is the best smartest thing to do.”

Since the start of the conflict the price of oil has almost doubled from where it was at the start of the year.

The ripple effects of the price increase has also been the potential for inflation across a wide range of goods and services.

This week demand on Gull’s discount day left some of its petrol stations running low on fuel.

Gull said 3 percent of its sites had not been able to meet the extra demand from customers when it cut prices on its regular Thursday promotion.

Emeritus Professor in Climate Mitigation and Sustainable Energy at Massey University, Ralph Sims, had previously given similar advice to drivers on saving fuel as prices spiked.

“Most people don’t understand how to drive a car efficiently. I see people accelerate to a red light and then brake heavily, and if you’re running on low tyre pressures, it consumes much more fuel,” Sims said.

He also suggested the government do a national education campaign on fuel-saving tips like avoiding heavy braking, checking tyre pressure, and taking things that add weight, like a roof rack, off their vehicle when they are not needed.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

An energy sustainability expert thinks driving more efficiently could help the country get ahead of any future petrol shortages.

The war in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed up fuel prices and caused concern about disruption to supply internationally.

Emeritus Professor in Climate Mitigation and Sustainable Energy at Massey University, Ralph Sims, says there are ways to reduce fuel consumption before extreme measures like returning to the car-free and fuel rationing days of the 1970s and 1980s are considered.

“We’ve got to anticipate that we need to take some actions now, ready for when we’ve got extreme situations, which might be in five or six weeks’ time.

“But people love their cars, and like driving them, and so enforcement is not the easiest of options I think the government has got.

“If this war continues and the oil price goes up and there’s a much higher cost when you fill your car up, then there will be an incentive there, not needing enforcement, for people to look at ways of saving on fuel.”

Sim suggested the government do a national education campaign on fuel-saving tips like avoiding heavy braking, checking tyre pressure, and taking things that add weight, like a roof rack, off their vehicle when they are not needed.

“Most people don’t understand how to drive a car efficiently. I see people accelerate to a red light and then brake heavily, and if you’re running on low tyre pressures, it consumes much more fuel.”

He said limiting how often people could use their cars or how much they could fill up at the pump would be difficult to enforce.

“Car-less days, for example, many people found ways to get around it by having a second car.

“We can learn from what we did before. Did it work? How successful was it? Are there other ways to do it nowadays that are better?”

He said nowadays we also have more transport options available.

“The world has changed a bit now in that we do have electric buses in various cities, and we’ve got electric cars, and electric scooters, and public transport is much better than it used to be.

“To encourage people to get out of their petrol or diesel cars and utilise public transport is one way to conserve fuel. But getting people out of their cars is very difficult.

“Unless you’ve got some extreme situation, then education is the only way to try and change public behaviour.”

Richard Bosselman, the editor of the website Motoring NZ, said electric vehicle (EV) sales had been dismal in recent years.

But he speculated that if people were paying more at the pump, that might change.

“We have to make some hard and fast decisions about what kind of transport we need in this country and how we do it. I think electric is something that we need to jump back onto again and promote.

“Maybe this war will be a wake-up call, and maybe New Zealanders will think more about their car choices going forward.”

He said bringing back the Clean Car Discount, which provided rebates for low and zero-emission vehicles, to encourage people to buy EVs might help the country curb fuel use if the war continues.

He said it could also be an opportunity to develop the country’s hydrogen technologies.

“We’re at the end of the world. We’re at the end of a very long supply chain, so everything that comes to us is going to become more expensive. But we are a very self-sufficient nation. We create a lot of electricity and we can create more.

“We have opportunities to create hydrogen, and there’s a whole hydrogen infrastructure that sits there that could work for transport.

“I think this is a good time for Kiwis to take stock, be creative, and try and be optimistic about the future and look for solutions rather than be worried about the ultimate doom and gloom scenario, no matter how dark it all looks just at the moment.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

SINGAPORE – Newsaktuell – 13 March 2026 – The cooperation partnership is ready for the next round: Following the successful premiere of the RECHARGE Wind Power Summit 2025 powered by WindEnergy Hamburg at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg last November, the RECHARGE Wind Power Summit 2026 Asia-Pacific powered by WindEnergy Hamburg is about to launch in the Asian metropolis of Singapore. It will take place at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre on 19 and 20 May. Supported by Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board, the new event underscores the city state’s role as a key hub for onshore and offshore wind in the APAC region which holds major growth potential.

On site: market leaders and industry associations

More than 1,000 participants, over 40 top-flight speakers, and around 50 exhibiting companies are expected. “Numerous companies representing all segments of the value chain have secured stand spots already,” says Andreas Arnheim, Director of WindEnergy Hamburg. Confirmed exhibitors include ZF Wind Power, Yixing Huayong Motor, Jiangsu Juxin Petroleum, and Seatrium, a leading Singapore-based offshore manufacturer. The event is supported by key industry organisations including the Asia Wind Energy Association (AWEA), the Association of Singapore Marine and Offshore Energy Industries (ASMI), Bundesverband Windenergie (BWE) and VDMA, Europe’s largest engineering association. Their leaders will use the occasion to network and advance wind power as the world’s key renewable energy source.

Conference will feature top-flight speakers

Headed “From ambition to reality: Why Asia is wind’s next big opportunity,” the conference will spotlight the region’s vast potential. Countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea or India, the latter aiming for 140 GW of wind capacity by 2030, are driving demand for technology and know-how. Experts from politics, industry and science will discuss policy frameworks, regulations, cost management, financing, and new technologies while strengthening cross-border cooperation. “It’s all about building strong industrial partnerships that take wind energy in the APAC region and beyond to a new level,” says Andrew Lee, Corporate Power Editor at DN Media Group’s news publication RECHARGE and co-host of the event.

The Summit builds on the successful 2025 debut in Hamburg and marks another milestone ahead of WindEnergy Hamburg 2026, taking place 22–25 September 2026.

More information: https://www.futureenergy.events/website/18561/

WindEnergy Hamburg: https://www.windenergyapac.com/news-details/article/windenergy-hamburg-to-show-its-colours-in-singapore-recharge-wind-power-summit-asia-pacific-presents-a-captivating-conference-and-expo

Hashtag: #WindEnergyHamburg #RechargeWindPower #WindEnergyAPAC #RenewableEnergy #FutureEnergy

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 4 March 2026 – VinEnergo announces its large-scale global expansion plan, initially focusing on Asia and Europe with a renewable energy project portfolio totaling 10 GW that has officially secured development agreements. In addition to the capacity already approved in Vietnam, over the next three years VinEnergo will continue expanding its operations and increase its total deployed capacity to 100 GW, positioning itself as a leading global renewable energy enterprise and deepening its participation in the international energy transition.

Under its overall plan, VinEnergo targets the development of 100 GW of renewable energy over the next three years, including 50 GW in core international markets such as North America, Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia. These regions demonstrate rapidly-growing power demand, strong renewable energy promotion policies, and significant development headroom for international investors.

In parallel, VinEnergo will also explore expansion into other potential markets such as Central Asia and Africa, where electricity demand and emissions reduction requirements are rising rapidly. Through collaboration with governments and relevant stakeholders, VinEnergo will develop sustainable energy sources, support businesses in accessing clean electricity, contribute to Net Zero goals, and directly participate in shaping green energy policy.

To establish a solid foundation for the structured and long-term deployment of renewable energy projects, VinEnergo has signed partnerships with international financial institutions to access green credit. In addition, VinEnergo has reached agreements with multiple reputable foreign partners to develop a 10 GW project portfolio, with the overall objective of mastering all stages, from design, schedule management, and commercial structuring to long-term operations.

Specifically, in Northern Europe, VinEnergo partners with GreenGo Energy to develop a renewable energy project portfolio of 2 GW in Denmark and Sweden. In the long term, the company plans to expand its capacity in Northern Europe and across Europe to 6.2 GW.

In the Philippines, VinEnergo will develop projects totaling 1.3 GW with NKS Renewables Inc, 1.2 GW with URG Asia Corporation, and 1.3 GW with 11.11 Growth Properties, focusing on large-scale solar power projects in favorable areas such as Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

In these co-development projects, VinEnergo holds over 80 percent ownership and acts as the primary developer, responsible for capital mobilization, construction, and long-term operations. Several projects commenced in early 2026 and are expected to begin operations during 2027 to 2028.

With in-house capability in the manufacturing and integration of battery energy storage systems (BESS), VinEnergo can standardize design, secure equipment supply proactively, and synchronize technical solutions across its entire portfolio. This ensures high operational stability, reduces schedule risk, and optimizes project economics, particularly in markets with high renewable penetration and increasingly stringent dispatch requirements.

According to the plan, in the first quarter of 2026, VinEnergo will increase its total international renewable energy portfolio to 20 GW, with at least 8 GW of additional projects in Southeast Asia and Africa to be signed during the period.

Mr. Nguyen Anh Khoa, Chief Executive Officer of VinEnergo, stated: “Entering 2026, VinEnergo moves into a new development phase with the aspiration to become a renewable energy enterprise with global scale and competitiveness. The simultaneous deployment of a large portfolio across multiple markets affirms our capacity for governance and execution of complex projects. VinEnergo believes we will make an important contribution to the global energy transition process, while elevating the stature of Vietnamese enterprises on the global green energy map.”

In 2025, VinEnergo broke ground on the Hai Phong LNG thermal power plant, with a total investment of approximately VND 178 trillion and a designed capacity of 4,800 MW, placing it among the largest LNG-to-power projects in Vietnam and globally. VinEnergo has also been assigned as the investor for two offshore wind power projects in Ha Tinh, totaling approximately 900 MW with a combined investment exceeding VND 39 trillion.

Most recently, VinEnergo also invested in Phase 1 of the Hon Trau Wind Power Plant project in Gia Lai, with a capacity of 750 MW, one of the largest renewable energy projects in the province. In addition, VinEnergo has been approved as the qualified investor for the Vinh Thuan Wind Power Project, with a capacity of 143 MW.

Co-operation agreements both domestically and internationally reflect partners’ confidence in VinEnergo’s financial strength, governance, and execution capability, while affirming the company’s increasingly established position in the international renewable energy value chain.

With a long-term development orientation and as part of the Vingroup ecosystem, VinEnergo pursues the mission of providing clean, stable, and efficient energy, aligned with disciplined investment, international governance standards, and sustainable value creation for the community, while proactively adopting the latest trends such as AI and big data applications in operations and smart power solution development.

Hashtag: #VinEnergo

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

The partnership represents a strategic step in BDC’s long-term roadmap to diversify power sourcing pathways, enhance energy security, and future-proof its Singapore data centre portfolio amid evolving grid constraints and decarbonisation dynamics.

The collaboration brings together BDC’s extensive expertise in developing and operating hyperscale data centres across Asia Pacific and CNE’s technical leadership in renewable and hydrogen energy systems. The parties will also collaborate with Nanyang Technological University (NTU), one of the world’s top universities, to support the development of Singapore’s hydrogen ecosystem Together, the parties will accelerate the research, engineering, and deployment of scalable clean energy solutions across the value chain.

Integrated Renewable and Hydrogen Pathways

Under the MOU, the parties will explore advanced power system architectures and generation configurations designed to enhance the resilience and reliability of AI-ready data centre campuses.

A key focus of the collaboration is the development of Singapore’s first barge-based hydrogen power generation model — an innovative marine-integrated deployment approach designed to deliver flexible and modular clean power capacity.

Compared to conventional land-based generation assets, a barge-based configuration offers structural advantages particularly suited to Singapore’s operating environment, including optimisation of scarce land resources through offshore or nearshore deployment, enhanced safety risk segregation between hydrogen handling infrastructure and core data centre operations, and greater flexibility in hydrogen transport and storage leveraging Singapore’s maritime ecosystem.

In parallel, the parties will develop scalable hydrogen supply chain frameworks covering storage, transport, and system integration to support high-density, AI-driven digital infrastructure. The alliance will also assess customised long-term power procurement structures, including renewable power purchase agreements (PPAs) and integrated energy storage solutions, to enhance operational flexibility and overall energy system resilience.

Mr Eric Fan, Chief Executive Officer of Bridge Data Centres, said, “The accelerating demand for AI-ready data centres requires new energy architectures that are resilient, scalable, and sustainable. This collaboration with Concord New Energy reflects our commitment to diversifying long-term power pathways. By pioneering Singapore’s first barge-based hydrogen generation solution, we are exploring innovative models that integrate clean energy with advanced digital infrastructure.”

Mr Joe Zhou, Group Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Global Business of Concord New Energy, said, “Singapore’s hydrogen ambitions and its position as a global maritime and energy hub create a strong foundation for piloting advanced hydrogen power solutions. Through this partnership, we aim to contribute engineering expertise and scalable system design to support the decarbonisation of AI-intensive data centre environments.”

Advancing Singapore’s Clean Energy and Digital Infrastructure Ambitions

The collaboration is expected to anchor advanced hydrogen system engineering and barge-based deployment capabilities within Singapore’s energy ecosystem. Through its Concord Clean Energy Research Centre, CNE will expand applied clean energy research and collaborate with local institutions, including NTU and public agencies, to drive the development of scalable clean hydrogen energy solutions in Singapore.

The partnership will facilitate structured knowledge transfer and local talent development in hydrogen systems integration, renewable optimisation, and advanced energy engineering. The initiative is expected to support the creation of high-value jobs and specialised technical competencies in these domains.

In addition, the collaboration is anticipated to catalyse investment in hydrogen-related infrastructure, including storage, transport, generation assets, and associated supply chains, strengthening Singapore’s clean energy transition.

As Singapore scales AI-driven workloads and high-performance computing capacity, energy reliability, flexibility, and sustainability are becoming decisive enablers of digital growth. The collaboration between BDC and CNE reflects BDC’s proactive strategy to future-proof its power architecture, diversify long-term sourcing pathways, and strengthen infrastructure resilience.

By anchoring advanced hydrogen engineering and marine-integrated deployment capabilities in Singapore — a global maritime and energy trading hub — the initiative not only strengthens Singapore’s ability to pilot innovative hydrogen solutions within a land-constrained urban environment, but also establishes a scalable offshore-integrated clean power framework that can be extended to Southeast Asia’s rapidly expanding AI-driven data centre markets.

Hashtag: #BridgeDataCentres

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

Thousands of high-voltage pylons and other national grid sites are exposed to flooding, along with hundreds of kilometres of transmission lines, data provided to RNZ shows.

Network owners say increasingly frequent severe weather driven by climate change is heightening the flooding risk to distribution infrastructure too, along with damage caused by high winds and treefall.

Transpower is already pursuing plans to raise the height of some transmission sites, or even move them, while lines companies are pushing for increased powers to deal with ‘out of zone’ trees they currently cannot trim.

But together with sustainable energy advocates, they say having more distributed energy sources, such as solar panels and batteries, could also help to keep the lights on during weather emergencies.

Hundreds of people in the lower North Island went all of last week without power, after a storm brought down hundreds of lines in Wellington, the Wairarapa and Whanganui-Rangitīkei areas.

That followed prolonged power outages in Southland and Otago after a severe storm in late October.

Clutha Valley farmer Richard Hunter was among those affected, after the storm brought hundreds of trees down across his property, including onto power lines.

Hunter said the clean-up had been lengthy and expensive.

“We’ve employed an extra person to help with fencing, we’ve had a digger come through to lift a lot of trees off fences and clear fencelines, and that work’s still ongoing.”

Since the storm, he has increased generator capacity on the farm and would “possibly” be better prepared for another long outage.

“But you just don’t know how widespread the next event might be.”

Data published by Earth Sciences New Zealand (ESNZ) last year showed that 46 transmission sites such as substations are exposed to a flood hazard – more than 20 percent of the 216 sites around the country.

Additional data, released exclusively to RNZ, shows that more than 3800 pylons, towers, and other national grid structures are also exposed (10 percent), along with 1235km of the country’s transmission lines (11 percent).

The proportion of transmission infrastructure exposed is projected to rise with every additional degree of warming.

Some regions are more vulnerable than others.

The largest number of affected transmission sites and structures are in Canterbury, while the proportion of both lines and structures exposed in Bay of Plenty is among the highest of any region.

Of the 470km of lines in Bay of Plenty, 16.8 percent are exposed, while 17.5 percent of the region’s more than 1800 structures are at risk.

ESNZ principal scientist Emily Lane said the exposure was high, even before taking the effects of future warming into account.

“We’ve got quite a lot of our infrastructure in these vulnerable areas.”

Just because an asset was exposed to flooding did not mean it would fail, though.

“Oftentimes there will be a flood and the power poles might be just sticking out of the water and that’s actually not a problem,” Lane said.

“But if you’ve got high velocity [water] you might get scour. If you’ve got debris, the debris might pile up against the pylon and that could increase the scour or increase the loading on it and that’s when you start getting problems.”

There were also indirect threats.

“If a structure gets damaged by another hazard and that’s in a flood-affected area, you can’t get to it because of the flooding – you can get these cascading impacts.”

The modelling was unable to take into account any mitigation or other protective features, such as elevated floor heights at substations, she said.

“What our hope is, is that Transpower is using this and going, ok, these are the places we need to check out.

“It might be that they go, we actually already knew about this and we’ve built the floor height to this level and so we’re comfortable that that’s ok.”

Building a more resilient network

Transpower’s strategy, performance and risk manager Julian Morton said climate resilience had been part of Transpower’s asset management approach for more than a decade.

The transmission network ran through “some pretty rugged country” and flooding, land stability and access were all risks.

“We know climate change is increasing the threat to some of our sites,” he said.

The state-owned enterprise had a list of 12 substations that were high-priority for being adapted or moved to better protect them from future flooding.

First off the blocks would be Redclyffe substation in Hawke’s Bay, which failed during Cyclone Gabrielle when it was flooded.

The Commerce Commission granted approval late last year for Transpower to go ahead with plans to redevelop the substation on the existing site, but with raised floor heights to keep it above future floodwaters.

Transpower considered, but rejected, a plan to move the entire substation to higher ground, at an estimated cost of $280 million.

The approved plan is expected to cost $44m.

Other locations might require more drastic measures as time went by, Morton said.

“We’re looking at … what are our future options at those sites like South Dunedin where we know that we’re going to run out of runway where just elevating may not tick the box.”

The ESNZ data, produced as part of a wider project to map inland flooding risk across the country, only included national grid infrastructure.

It did not take into account local distribution networks.

However, Electricity Networks Aotearoa (ENA) chief executive Tracey Kai, whose organisation represents the 29 lines companies in New Zealand, said climate change was starting to test them too.

“We build infrastructure for 100-year events, but those 100-year events are not only happening more frequently, but they’re more severe than when we forecasted them initially,” Kai said.

After Cyclone Gabrielle, her organisation analysed the causes of local network outages to 240,000 people and found a fairly even split between tree damage, older infrastructure failing, and flooding.

A “bugbear” for ENA’s members was not being able to manage trees that were outside minimum clearance zones but still posed a threat to lines, Kai said.

Legislation had been drafted that would restrict new planting around lines, and that would help, she said.

However, lines companies were pushing for further changes that would shift the onus of trimming and managing trees onto commercial and public owners of trees, such as forestry companies and councils.

“Network companies are fine looking after what we call mum and dad trees, so trees outside my house, outside your house,” Kai said.

“But those that derive a return from that tree planting should be bearing that cost really.”

The role of ‘distributed energy’

Sustainable Energy Aotearoa innovation pathways manager Gareth Williams said frequent severe weather events were showing up “just how vulnerable the networks are”.

Improving the resilience of that infrastructure where possible was important, but some of the options were “horrendously expensive”, he said.

“There are definitely fixes, but at what cost?”

The country should also be rolling out distributed energy, where generation and storage happened locally through technologies like solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles.

That could play “a critical role” in making households and communities more resilient, he said.

“If there’s an upstream [outage] and there’s enough solar and batteries, essentially you can create the network as a whole series of little microgrids so each microgrid can operate independently.”

It was unlikely to provide enough electricity for people to run their power as usual, but it would keep the essentials going, Williams said.

“You could have a microgrid providing a basic electricity supply for lights, televisions, refrigeration, phone-charging, internet – for quite an extended period.”

Tracey Kai said as more renewables were rolled out, it made sense to have “everything, everywhere, all at once”.

“If you have distributed energy, whether it’s your electric vehicle or solar or batteries, if you can afford the upfront cost of those things, not only will it bring your power bill down in the long run, but also it provides resilience.”

She would go “one step further” than just individual installations.

“Solar on marae, solar on schools, they’re all options because it means that it’s not just a household that benefits or a neighborhood, it means that anyone who’s affected, they can kind of stand that up as a place of refuge and safety while services are being restored.”

Six reviews since Cyclone Gabrielle had talked about the importance of community hubs, Kai said.

“That is something that would make a real difference.”

A resilient network would still be needed, though.

“You will still need supply from the grid. And if you are exporting back in and selling your excess power, you’re still going to need a network to transport your electrons on.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — IperionX Limited (IperionX) (NASDAQ: IPX, ASX: IPX) has received a US$0.3 million prototype purchase order from American Rheinmetall for the production of 700 lightweight titanium components for U.S. Army heavy ground combat systems. This initial purchase order has the potential to lead to a significantly larger agreement upon successful delivery of this initial scope of work.

The components will be manufactured in the United States using 100% recycled titanium feedstock, produced through IperionX’s patented Hydrogen Assisted Metallothermic Reduction (HAMR ) and Hydrogen Sintering and Phase Transformation (HSPT ) technologies. These technologies enable the domestic production of high-performance titanium components at materially lower cost relative to conventional titanium production routes.

Replacing steel components with titanium is expected to deliver measurable operational benefits, including a weight reduction of approximately 40–45% per component, translating to a reduction of several hundred kilograms per vehicle depending on final configuration.

Lightweighting is an increasingly critical design consideration for U.S. Army heavy ground combat platforms as the vehicles continues to gain mass through successive survivability and lethality upgrades, including enhanced armor systems and emerging counter-UAS and drone-protection solutions.

Specific benefits also include improved performance through reduced weight, enabling faster acceleration and better agility, increased operational range and survivability, and reduced ground pressure improving traction and flotation on soft or uneven terrain.

IperionX is the only domestic U.S. producer of commercial-scale primary titanium metal, a material that is designated as strategic and critical by the U.S. Government. Historically, the U.S. has relied heavily on foreign-sourced titanium sponge and upstream processing, creating vulnerabilities within defense and aerospace supply chains.

This purchase order directly supports U.S. Government priorities to reshore and secure critical materials supply chains, reduce reliance on foreign titanium sources, and expand domestic manufacturing capacity using recycled feedstocks.

IperionX CEO Taso Arima said:

“This purchase order demonstrates the practical application of IperionX’s recycled titanium technologies on important U.S. ground combat platforms. As the only domestic producer of commercial primary titanium, IperionX is uniquely positioned to support domestic defense priorities with secure, low-carbon, and cost-competitive titanium products manufactured entirely in the United States.”

The full release can be found here.

About IperionX

IperionX is a leading American titanium metal and critical materials company – using patented metal technologies to produce high performance titanium alloys, from titanium minerals or scrap titanium, at lower energy, cost and carbon emissions.

Our Titan critical minerals project is the largest JORC-compliant mineral resource of titanium, rare earth and zircon minerals sands in the United States.

IperionX’s titanium metal and critical minerals are essential for advanced U.S. industries including space, aerospace, defense, consumer electronics, fasteners, automotive and additive manufacturing.

Forward Looking Statements

Information included in this release constitutes forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “continue”, and “guidance”, or other similar words and may include, without limitation, statements regarding plans, strategies and objectives of management, anticipated production or construction commencement dates and expected costs or production outputs.

Forward looking statements inherently involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance, and achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements. Relevant factors may include, but are not limited to, changes in commodity prices, foreign exchange fluctuations and general economic conditions, increased costs and demand for production inputs, the speculative nature of exploration and project development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits and diminishing quantities or grades of reserves, the Company’s ability to comply with the relevant contractual terms to access the technologies, commercially scale its closed-loop titanium production processes, or protect its intellectual property rights, political and social risks, changes to the regulatory framework within which the Company operates or may in the future operate, environmental conditions including extreme weather conditions, recruitment and retention of personnel, industrial relations issues and litigation.

Forward looking statements are based on the Company and its management’s good faith assumptions relating to the financial, market, regulatory and other relevant environments that will exist and affect the Company’s business and operations in the future. The Company does not give any assurance that the assumptions on which forward looking statements are based will prove to be correct, or that the Company’s business or operations will not be affected in any material manner by these or other factors not foreseen or foreseeable by the Company or management or beyond the Company’s control.

Although the Company attempts and has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in forward looking statements, there may be other factors that could cause actual results, performance, achievements, or events not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and many events are beyond the reasonable control of the Company. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Forward looking statements in these materials speak only at the date of issue. Subject to any continuing obligations under applicable law or any relevant stock exchange listing rules, in providing this information the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any of the forward-looking statements or to advise of any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Contacts

Anastasios (Taso) Arima, Founder and CEO
Toby Symonds, President
Dominic Allen, Chief Commercial Officer

Investors: investorrelations@iperionx.com
Media: media@iperionx.com
+1 980 237 8900
www.iperionx.com

– Published by The MIL Network

HANOI, VIETNAM – Media OutReach Newswire – 19 December 2025 – In celebration of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vingroup simultaneously commences 11 projects, including: the Olympic Sports Urban Area in Hanoi featuring the Trong Dong (Bronze Drum) Stadium; the Ha Long Xanh and Cam Ranh mega urban complexes; a social housing project in Hung Yen; the Song Tri Ward Urban Area in Ha Tinh; Vincom Plaza Vinh in Nghe An; the Tuan Chau Public Park in Quang Ninh; the Ben Thanh – Can Gio high-speed railway; two wind power plants; and the VinMetal steel manufacturing plant in Vung Ang. These are foundational projects in urban development, infrastructure, green energy, and heavy industry, contributing strong momentum for future growth.

Among these activities, the groundbreaking ceremony of Vingroup’s Olympic Sports Urban Area Investment and Construction Project in Hanoi served as the central broadcast location for the live-televised program marking the commencement, inauguration, and technical opening of projects and works celebrating the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The event was honored by the presence of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Secretary of Hanoi Party Committee Nguyen Duy Ngoc, along with leaders of the Party and State, leaders of central ministries and agencies, and the leadership of Hanoi.

Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the projects and works commenced, inaugurated, and technically opened on this occasion are large-scale developments with complex technical requirements, playing a particularly important role in socio-economic development, with several record-setting features. First, they represent the largest total investment ever, amounting to 3.4 quadrillion VND. Second, they feature the highest level of private sector participation, with nearly 2.8 quadrillion VND, accounting for 82% of total investment. Third, they include the single largest investment project to date, the Olympic Sports Urban Area, with total capital of 925 trillion VND.

“These are critical foundations for a synchronized and modern infrastructure system that meets the country’s development needs in the new era. They are key links in the effort to build a peaceful, stable, deeply integrated, prosperous, civilized, thriving, and happy Vietnam, steadfastly advancing towards socialism,” the Prime Minister said.

The Olympic Sports Urban Area investment and construction project covers more than 9,171 hectares, with total investment of approximately VND 925 trillion. This marks the largest urban area in Vietnam, spanning 11 communes. Located at the southern gateway of Hanoi, the Olympic Sports Urban Area sits at the intersection of Ring Road 3.5, Ring Road 4, National Highway 1A, the Phap Van – Cau Gie expressway, and especially adjacent to Ngoc Hoi Station, opening significant potential for sports urban development integrated with modern public transport.

The project is planned into four zones with the goal of creating a sports city and service city associated with a world-class sports complex, enhancing Hanoi’s position on the continental and global sports and cultural map and creating sustainable development momentum for decades.

The heart of the sports complex is a national-level facility, the Trong Dong Stadium, developed on an area of 73.3 hectares with a capacity of up to 135,000 seats. It is designed as a FIFA-standard stadium with the world’s largest seating capacity and the largest fully retractable roof. Beyond its record-breaking scale, Trong Dong Stadium is also one of the most distinctive stadiums globally, featuring design elements inspired by Vietnamese culture, richly incorporating Dong Son bronze drum motifs, creating a structure that is both modern and symbolic of Vietnamese spirit.

Notably, the stadium is positioned as a green and smart facility, integrating AI with the ability to replace the pitch surface within 6-10 hours; smart seats connected via 5G; real-time security and crowd management; water collection and recycling systems saving 70% of clean water; heat and UV resistance; and natural ventilation to reduce air conditioning energy consumption and noise. The stadium also includes a dedicated VVIP area meeting standards for hosting international heads of state at major events.

The Trong Dong Stadium is expected to be completed in August 2028.

In urban development, alongside Hanoi, in Quang Ninh Province, Vingroup and Vinhomes have broken ground on the Ha Long Xanh integrated urban project in Ha An Ward, Quang Ninh Province. Located adjacent to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a total scale of more than 4,100 hectares, among the largest in Vietnam, Ha Long Xanh is planned as a “globally-connected wonder city by the heritage bay.” The project is connected domestically and internationally by the Hanoi – Hai Phong – Ha Long – Van Don – Mong Cai expressway, a network of airports and international seaports, and especially the Hanoi – Quang Ninh high-speed railway currently registered for investment by VinSpeed High-Speed Railway Investment and Development Joint Stock Company. The Ha Long Xanh integrated urban area is expected to bring its first components into operation from 2028.

Following the Ha Long Xanh coastal mega city, a consortium of investors including Vinhomes Joint Stock Company, Cam Ranh Investment Joint Stock Company, and VinES Energy Solutions Joint Stock Company has broken ground on the Cam Ranh Bay Coastal Urban Area project. Covering more than 1,254 hectares, the project is planned to maximally preserve the pristine beauty of one of the world’s most beautiful bays, positioning Cam Ranh as an ideal place of residence for elite communities both domestically and internationally, while elevating Khanh Hoa’s standing in the South Central Coast region.

The next urban project launched is the Song Tri Ward Urban Area in Ha Tinh, covering 84.12 hectares. With an integrated system of schools, medical centers, parks, and commercial and entertainment facilities, the Song Tri Ward Urban Area is one of the largest urban projects in the locality, contributing to improved quality of life for residents.

In the social housing segment, Vingroup continues to affirm its pioneering role by breaking ground on the Social Housing Project in Pho Hien Ward, Hung Yen Province, covering 31.1 hectares with 25 apartment buildings. Beyond meeting essential housing needs for workers, the project provides an integrated and superior all in one amenities system including schools, medical facilities, parks, and parking areas. The project is expected to be handed over in 2027.

On the same day, in Nghe An, Vincom Plaza Vinh is officially inaugurated, marking the presence of the 90th Vincom shopping center nationwide and standing as one of the most modern shopping centers in the North Central region. Located on Quang Trung Street, with a total floor area of more than 25,000 square meters forming the podium of a 37-story five-star hotel tower, a new symbol of the city, Vincom Plaza Vinh is not only a leading shopping, dining, and entertainment destination for local residents and visitors, but also the first of its kind in Nghe An to offer a fresh cultural experience space.

In the infrastructure sector, Vingroup officially broke ground on the Tuan Chau Public Park project in Tuan Chau Ward and Viet Hung Ward, Quang Ninh Province. This is a mega ecological, cultural, and sports park with a scale of more than 626 hectares, the largest in the country. The park is planned into four themed zones: Festival Park with a family connection theme; Sports Arena Park with a sports theme; Discovery Park with physical challenge activities; and Tranquil Forest Park with wellness and public forest themes. Each park’s design optimally leverages Ha Long’s mountain, forest, and green bay characteristics to deliver diverse experiences that combine sports activities, family and friend connections, nature exploration, energy renewal, and a balanced lifestyle within a modern urban rhythm.

The Tuan Chau Public Park is expected to come into operation in 2028, marking an important step in Vingroup’s strategy to create green, experience-rich spaces that deliver sustainable health and mental value for residents and visitors, while promoting tourism development in Northern Vietnam.

At the same time, at the Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio mega urban area in Ho Chi Minh City, the groundbreaking ceremony for the Ben Thanh – Can Gio railway project also took place. This is the first high-speed railway project in Vietnam. The line has a length of 54 km, a maximum speed of 350 km/h, with its starting point at Ben Thanh and its terminus at Vinhomes Green Paradise Can Gio. Once operational, expected in the fourth quarter of 2028, the line will open a new era for national railway infrastructure, driving development in commerce, tourism, real estate, and especially the marine economy for Ho Chi Minh City and the entire Southeast region.

In the green energy sector, VinEnergo Energy Joint Stock Company launched two large-scale projects including the Eco Wind Ky Anh Wind Power Plant and the Ky Anh Wind Power Plant. The Eco Wind Ky Anh Wind Power Plant has a capacity of 498 MW with expected annual output of 1,322.4 GWh. The Ky Anh Wind Power Plant has a capacity of 400 MW and is expected to supply approximately 1,053.3 GWh per year. Both plants will build substations and double-circuit 500 kV transmission lines to connect to the Ha Tinh – Vung Ang 500 kV line, contributing to national electricity output.

With total output of more than 2,375 GWh of renewable electricity per year and commercial operation expected in the fourth quarter of 2028, the two wind power plants mark a strategic step in clean energy transition and the realization of Vietnam’s Net Zero goal by 2050.

Also in Vung Ang, Vingroup officially launched the VinMetal steel manufacturing plant, marking a milestone in heavy industry. With phase one capacity of 5-6 million tons per year and total capacity across three phases reaching 20 million tons per year, VinMetal aims to become a leading high-technology steel complex in the region, producing hot-rolled steel, steel plates, special alloy steel, rail steel, and structural steel meeting international standards, which are strategic materials for Vietnam’s industrial development. The plant strictly complies with environmental regulations and is developed using an integrated BF-BOF large-scale steelmaking process.

The plant is expected to begin operation in 2027, enabling Vingroup to secure its own steel supply for real estate, infrastructure, and industrial manufacturing projects within the Vingroup ecosystem, while targeting exports. The plant will also create livelihoods for thousands of workers, positioning Ha Tinh as a new metallurgical center of the country.

With the simultaneous commencement and inauguration of 11 projects, Vingroup not only creates growth momentum, contributes to transforming urban landscapes, and accelerates national industrialization and modernization, affirming the service spirit and visionary capacity of the private enterprise sector, but also joins the Government in realizing the goal of placing Vietnam among the world’s top 30 economies by 2030.

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– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

The Government has agreed to make changes to the health and safety regulations for the hydrogen sector, ensuring they are fit for purpose and support growth, Energy Minister Simon Watts and Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden say.

“The Government sees hydrogen as a valuable tool we can harness to kickstart economic growth. By harnessing its potential, we can drive innovation, create jobs, and position New Zealand as a leader in sustainable energy solutions,” Mr Watts says.

“Hydrogen has an important role in our future energy mix. It can support sectors that are difficult or impractical to electrify – such as heavy transport and industry – to reduce emissions while keeping our economy growing.

“To unlock hydrogen’s full potential, we need a regulatory framework that supports growth and innovation rather than getting in the way.”

“While on our nationwide health and safety roadshow, I heard that because current safety requirements were not developed with hydrogen in mind, they are now preventing the safe development and use of hydrogen technologies,” says Ms van Velden.

“We have worked closely with the sector to ensure health and safety regulations relating to hydrogen are fit for purpose and remove unnecessary compliance costs without compromising health and safety.

“We want our safety regulations to strike the right balance in allowing businesses to pick the technologies that work best for them, while still keeping workers and others safe.”

The 10 changes the Government have agreed to make include technical amendments to outdated provisions known to prevent businesses from adopting new practices and creates new requirements where clarity is needed now. They include:

setting specific requirements for hydrogen fuelling stations and cryogenic liquid hydrogen
providing for easier approval of hydrogen appliances and fittings
allowing alternatives to odorisation for hydrogen
allowing Multi-Element Gas Containers, commonly used overseas for storage and transport
enabling Safe Work Instruments and new safety instruments to set requirements as the sector evolves updating references to newer standards for transporting dangerous goods and hazardous areas.

“By making these changes, we are delivering a key priority under the Hydrogen Action Plan which was released in November 2024,” Mr Watts says.

“We need businesses, innovators, and investors to grasp and make the most of the opportunities at hand. By cutting this red tape we can unlock faster growth of the sector, drive more jobs, and deliver real benefits to our energy system, climate, and economy.”

MIL OSI

The Hon Nicola Willis, Minister of Finance and Minister for Economic Growth and the Hon Simon Watts, Minister of Climate Change and Minister for Energy, welcomed the Hon Dr Jim Chalmers MP, Treasurer and the Hon Chris Bowen MP, Minister for Climate Change and Energy to Auckland on 5 December 2025 for the third Australia-New Zealand Climate and Finance Ministers’ 2+2 Dialogue.

Ministers agreed that climate action and more investment in renewable energy are essential to putting downward pressure on power prices and cost of living for New Zealand and Australian households and businesses and enhancing the productivity, security and stability of our respective energy systems.

They agreed that the global transition to low emissions economies powered by cheaper, cleaner energy presents significant economic opportunities with increasing demand for products, technologies and investments that help address climate change. Both countries have taken significant steps to grow renewable energy, including to support enhanced energy security during the transition. They welcomed new Nationally Determined Contributions submitted by both nations as critical investment signals designed to seize the economic opportunities of the energy transition and deliver on the goals of the Paris Agreement. Our uniquely close relationship enables us to work together, to capture economic opportunities, boost trade and growth, address shared policy challenges, and deliver real benefits to businesses, households, Māori and First Nations Australians. 

Building on commitments made at the Australia-New Zealand Leaders’ Meeting on 9 August 2025, Ministers discussed supporting trans-Tasman energy affordability, security and regulatory alignment, economic growth and productivity, cooperation in and with the Pacific, and the evolution of the 2+2 dialogue.

Climate pressures are reshaping the environment in which Australia and New Zealand operate, with increasing impacts on supply chains, infrastructure, and regional economies. Ministers recognised the importance of strengthening the resilience of our people, industries and communities, and reaffirmed that regionally driven economic development and deeper integration are central to safeguarding long-term prosperity.

Ministers noted the progress each has made on climate action since the last 2+2 Dialogue on 30 July 2024. For New Zealand, this includes publishing the second emissions reduction plan (ERP2) for the period 2026 to 2030 and a National Adaptation Framework. For Australia, this includes the national Net Zero Plan, comprising 6 sectoral emission reduction plans, a National Adaptation Plan and the National Climate Risk Assessment. 

Discussions and commitments 

Supporting trans-Tasman energy affordability, security and regulatory alignment

The transition to low emissions economies, underpinned by reliable, abundant and affordable renewable energy represents a once in a generation opportunity for Australia and New Zealand. Both countries have taken significant steps to grow renewable energy, including to strengthen energy security during the transition.

Australia and New Zealand reinforced their commitment to working together on energy issues. Ministers agreed to continue to align regulatory frameworks, reduce barriers to investments, and ensure sustainable finance systems are interoperable.

Australia and New Zealand Ministers agreed to empower consumers and boost energy productivity by:

co-invest ~NZ$1 million (AU$0.9 million) and Australia ~AU4.1 million (NZ$4.6 million) to upgrade the joint Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) Program registration system to facilitate better access to cheaper, cleaner household products and bring down costs for industry, including by improving operations and operability, reducing compliance burden and accelerating the adoption of energy efficient products.
further align regulatory settings for consumer energy technologies, by working towards developing a joint approach on enabling electric vehicle (EV) chargers to have smart functionality. This follows on from the Menezes report recommendations on aligning green technology standards.
develop and align Vehicle to grid (V2G) standards for EVs to ensure market alignment. 

facilitate direct engagement between the Australian solar and battery industry and regulators with their New Zealand counterparts to support knowledge exchange and trade arising from Australia’s successful Cheaper Home Batteries program and related policies, as well as to identify further opportunities for trans-Tasman regulatory alignment on solar and battery systems. 

These new commitments will support businesses and households to achieve energy savings, enhance efforts to accelerate EV charging locations, reduce compliance complexity, and unlocking scalable market opportunities for trans-Tasman providers and local businesses. 

Realising the economic opportunities of the net zero transition

Building on commitments made at the 2024 2+2 Dialogue, Ministers also acknowledged the work led by Bioenergy Australia and its New Zealand members to develop a trans-Tasman Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Strategy. Ministers recognised that scaling a competitive regional SAF industry is important to attract investment and strengthen regional fuel security, and enable Pacific partners to access SAF. New Zealand welcomed the announcement of Australia’s $1.1 billion Cleaner Fuels Program to support domestic low carbon liquid fuel production, and the opportunity to share learnings on SAF policy development. 

Ministers emphasised the importance of clear net zero plans and internationally relevant standards for attracting investment, and agreed to continue bilateral and international engagement to develop interoperable and comparable sustainable finance frameworks. These frameworks will provide clarity for businesses and investors and support individual countries to finance their net zero transformation. Australia welcomed the expansion of New Zealand’s sustainable finance taxonomy to the energy and construction sectors, and the opportunities it brings across our Single Economic Market through the continued alignment of sector coverage, technical criteria and implementation through market use pilots led by the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute and New Zealand’s Centre for Sustainable Finance. 

Ministers welcomed progress in developing internationally aligned Guarantee of Origin schemes since their commitment at the 2024 2+2 Dialogue. Australia’s successful launch of its Guarantee of Origin scheme in November 2025 represents a significant step in certifying the emissions intensity of green hydrogen, sustainable fuels, and green metals. New Zealand’s November 2024 Hydrogen Action Plan reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to supporting access to internationally aligned certification schemes. Ministers acknowledged the importance of working together to maintain close alignment between emerging certification frameworks and to support a consolidated, transparent and trusted trans-Tasman market for clean energy products.

Ministers reaffirmed the importance of supporting agricultural emissions reductions to enable this important economic sector to thrive. They welcomed the investment and action demonstrated in both countries from government in partnership with industry, including the AU$300 million invested in Australia’s Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC and New Zealand’s over NZ$400 million invested to accelerate the development and availability of new tools and technology to reduce on-farm agricultural emissions, recognising also the potential benefit and value of this work in farming systems internationally. Ministers committed to expanding technical collaboration and information sharing on livestock emissions reductions.   

Expanding collaboration on economic growth and productivity

Ministers discussed the importance of coordinating respective economic reform programmes, including New Zealand’s Going for Growth agenda and Australia’s productivity agenda, targeting lowering business costs, reducing regulatory burden, and boosting productivity.

Australia and New Zealand will establish a working group of government and industry to share information and collaborate on solutions to help ensure insurance remains accessible.

Ministers agreed that Treasuries should continue to explore opportunities for closer alignment as we progress development of our countries’ payment systems, licensing and digital assets reforms. They noted the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and Reserve Bank of New Zealand are exploring options to more closely align non-financial risk management and tiering of banking regulation. 

Ministers agreed on the benefits of aligning our building codes and standards, and tasked officials to take this work forward. 

Australia and New Zealand agreed to work together on the future of aligned product safety settings.

Pacific Partnership

Ministers recalled that Pacific Island Forum Leaders, at their meeting in Honiara in September 2025, reaffirmed that climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security, and wellbeing of peoples of the Pacific. Ministers reaffirmed Australia and New Zealand’s commitment to working together with Pacific partners to ensure the resilience and prosperity of the region.

New Zealand welcomed Australia’s agreement struck with Türkiye on COP31 hosting arrangements which provides a unique opportunity to amplify Pacific voices, grow the global clean energy economy and drive strong outcomes for our region. 

MIL OSI

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 October 2025 – GasHubUnited Utility Private Limited (“GasHub“), Singapore’s leading Liquefied Natural Gas (“LNG“) distributor, proudly unveils its transformative “Switch Campaign”, a bold initiative to drive industries towards cleaner and more sustainable energy. GasHub is a subsidiary of H2G Green Limited (SGX:5AI) (“H2G“).