Energy
United Future believes that in general the free market model provides the best solution to New Zealand's long-term energy requirements.
Electricity
United Future's position is to:
- amend the Conservation Act to ensure that proposals for the development of hydro schemes within the conservation estate are allowed to go to a full resource management hearing.
- support upgrading the national grid in areas where such an upgrade provides the best solution for ensuring security of supply.
- convert Transpower NZ Ltd to a public utility with the sole objective of transporting power through the National Grid at the lowest possible long-term cost to the consumer.
- make it easier and cheaper for micro-generators to connect directly to local electricity networks (including a requirement for lines companies and electricity retailers to trade with micro-generators at 'fair' market rates).
Oil and Gas
United Future believes every effort should be made to encourage rapid exploration and economic exploitation of New Zealand's potential oil and gas reserves (within current environmental standards).
United Future's position is to:
- oppose levying the oil industry to build additional oil storage capacity.
- oppose a standard royalty rate on new offshore oil discoveries being fixed in advance.
- explore with the industry ways of encouraging greater uptake of reticulated natural gas in the North Island and LPG in the South Island.