Kiwis and electricity: What’s changed in the last 3 years?

The year is 2014. Brad and Angelina are still a thing, Germany is about to annihilate Brazil 7-1 in the World Cup semifinal and frustratingly addictive Flappy Bird is inexplicably the world’s most popular smartphone game.

Fast forward three years and it's clear a lot has changed - including how Kiwis feel about their electricity.

Back in 2014, we conducted The Great New Zealand Energy Survey and spoke to more than 10,000 people around the country to learn more about how Kiwis feel about electricity. Three years later, we carried out a similar study with double the participants and gained a valuable snapshot of the country’s ever-changing attitude toward power.

So, what’s changed in the last three years? What are people doing to achieve a cheaper  power bill? And what does the future have in store for New Zealand's electricity customers? We’ve dived deep into our data to bring you all the answers to these questions and more.

1. Energy efficient light bulbs have lit up our lives… efficiently

The design of the humble light bulb more or less stayed the same for the past century, but that all changed with the arrival of energy efficient light bulbs. With a lifespan 15 times greater than that of conventional incandescent bulbs and a design that’s 85 percent more efficient, it was only a matter of time until energy efficient light bulbs became the standard in Aotearoa. In 2014, we were still warming up to the idea, with less than 1 in 3 (29 percent) people using energy efficient light bulbs in their homes. By 2017, however, around 80 percent of us were using them.

2. We’re starting to embrace solar

As the technology continues to become more accessible, we’re steadily seeing a rise in the number of people using solar energy to offset their energy usage and keep their power bills under control. Back in 2014, just 2 percent of Kiwis were using solar panels to save energy, but by 2017 this number had more than doubled to 5 percent.

3. Kiwi ingenuity is alive and well

Both the 2014 and 2017 surveys revealed that Kiwi ingenuity is alive and well when it comes to saving power. In 2014, almost 1 in 4 (24 percent) people said they reduced their household’s energy consumption by piling on the blankets instead of relying on electric heating. 2017 respondents were similarly innovative, with more than half stating they were prepared to wash their clothes after 10 p.m. in order to save money on electricity bills, while 3 percent said they’d even wait until 10 p.m. to cook dinner!

4. Electric cars are the way of the future

In 2014, about 84 percent of survey respondents said they would consider purchasing an electric vehicle if the price was the same as a regular petrol car. Since then, the government has introduced the Electric Vehicles Programme, an initiative that seeks to reduce some of the barriers surrounding electric uptake with the aim of having 64,000 electric vehicles on New Zealand roads by 2021. This is promising news for the 22 percent of people in our 2017 study who said they would like to use electric cars in the future to save energy.

5. We still like the idea of generating our own power

Despite the logistical challenges, Kiwis still like the idea of one day being able to generate their own electricity. About 58 percent of respondents to our 2017 survey said it was ‘possible’ or ‘very likely’ that in the future they would be able to generate electricity in their own home.

New Zealand’s attitude toward energy is constantly evolving. Here at Pulse Energy, we’re committed to providing the best electricity at affordable prices today and in the future. Contact the team today for a no-obligation quote and find out how much money you could save on your power bill.