Pressure on energy sources

Canterbury faces rising demand and costs for electricity and transport fuels. This is resulting in growing pressure on the national electricity transmission grid and increased summer irrigation places a strain on local distribution networks. Global demand for oil products also impacts on fuel prices. Canterbury is highly dependent on imported transport fuels with no ready substitutes available. The energy sector is fragmented and economic and regulatory issues are also barriers to achieving secure, reliable and affordable energy. The regional energy system can be affected by climate change adaptation and mitigation responses. 

Energy efficiency

Inefficient use of energy both by businesses and domestic users creates unnecessary demand for all forms of energy. Consumer behaviour change is required and will not happen without advocacy or incentives for increased energy efficiency, innovation, sustainable forms of energy production and use, and reduced environmental impacts.

Note that energy efficiency is also addressed within the following groups of activities:
Air Quality; Water Quality, Quantity and Ecosystems; Land; Regional Land Transport; Public Passenger Transport; and Waste, Hazardous Substances and Contaminated Sites.

Regional Energy Strategy

Central government encourages the development of the Canterbury Regional Energy Strategy. The aim of the Strategy, in development in 2009, is to enable and encourage the Canterbury region to have a secure, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy system. Key elements of the strategy are that it is collaborative and stakeholder driven with Environment Canterbury acting as the facilitator to develop the Strategy (as well as being one of the stakeholders). The Strategy will incorporate case studies of positive approaches, contain recommendations, identify actions and who is to undertake these actions and the timing of these.