This review by David Reeve and Toby Stevenson was commissioned by the Electricity Authority. In recent years a number of organisations have modelled scenarios of the New Zealand energy sector. Each exercise has had different purposes in mind, but they share the desire to understand the implications of policies targeting our emissions profiles and the ...

Prepared for the Electricity Networks Association In the report written by by Toby Stevenson and Michael Young, the transition to a decarbonised energy sector will require considerable investment in renewable energy, provisions for system security, distribution and transmission. It begs the question: what can we expect for total annual average household energy costs through to 2040? The answer ...

Sapere was commissioned by Transpower to investigate the potential value of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) in a New Zealand context. Transpower is seeking to advance the discussion about how the electricity industry and market may need to evolve with increased penetration of DER. This report broadly considers the value of DER to the New Zealand ...

Sapere Research Group experts Kieran Murray and Toby Stevenson look at the High Standard of Trading Conduct rule, which was introduced by the Electricity Authority in 2014. In this report, they explore the implications for the design and application of a HSOTC rule, and propose a clearer rule.  An addendum to this report was published in ...

Toby Stevenson, Kieran Murray and Joanna Smith return to a framework for evaluating significant policy changes in the electricity industry originally published in 2009. It asks whether the outcomes expected from the reforms since that report are being achieved. In addition to assessing outcomes under the current arrangements, the same evaluation method is used to ...

The Ministry for the Environment commissioned Sapere to analyse the current information provision in the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme. The report offers recommendations on what, how and when information needs to be provided to the market to improve its efficiency. ...

Sapere Research Group was commissioned by the Electricity Authority to assist its thinking on distribution pricing. They were interested in finding out if distribution locational marginal pricing was possible now, and what was required to support its implementation, both practically and from a regulatory perspective. We found that there are a range of implementation and ...

In February 2018, we prepared a report entitled A clearer high standard of trading conduct rule. Since our report was finalised, additional information has become available which is relevant to the analysis of trading conduct on the wholesale electricity spot market. Our refined position and proposal is published in this addendum. ...

Sapere was engaged by the Productivity Commission to investigate the potential for the electricity sector to contribute to the goal of a low-emissions future in New Zealand. Our paper was produced to support the Commission’s draft report on transitioning to a low-emissions economy. A final report will be presented to the Government in August 2018. ...

This report estimates the net financial benefits contestable consumers in Singapore should expect as a result of the commencement of trading in Singapore Electricity Futures in April 2015. We estimate the difference retail prices would have otherwise been if the futures contract had not been introduced. Account is taken of the cost of incentives for ...

Sapere Research Group was commissioned by Trustpower to analyse, and explain the consequences of, the lack of joined up thinking in regulation and decision making across the energy, water, environmental nexus in New Zealand. Toby Stevenson, Dr Stephen Batstone and Corina Comendant look at why a lack of joined up thinking may reduce the contribution ...

Dr Stephen Batstone and Toby Stevenson spoke at the recent Downstream 2018 conference on “Transitioning to zero net emissions by 2050: Moving to a very low-emissions electricity system in New Zealand”. Stephen and Toby presented the findings of the work a team from Sapere have completed for the Productivity Commission. This work aims to identify ...

In this report, prepared for the BusinessNZ Energy Council, we consider whether the electricity sector is meeting five enduring public policy objectives that seem enduring for policymakers across countries and time. We consider whether the objective is being achieved today and whether it is likely to be achieved given emerging influences. The five policy objectives ...

In this article, first published in the February/March 2019 edition of the Institute of Directors’ BoardRoom magazine, Sapere Director Toby Stevenson discusses how the transition to a low-carbon economy will change the workplace as a result of firms being forced to adapt their competitive position. Business leaders must approach this issue as any other strategic ...

Sapere Director Toby Stevenson and Jeff Smit of DETA Consulting prepared a briefing representing the collective views of the Sustainable Business Council NZ and Climate Leaders Coalition members on climate action priorities. The report sets out 26 recommendations, including three key recommendations, for the incoming government and focuses on policies and projects that will accelerate decarbonisation in New Zealand. The three ...