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25

Chapter eight will explore the relationship between the ego and the "energy efficiency" symbol and ask why the symbol is now associated with deprivation and loss rather than harmony and balance.
Teachers -see below for illustrated hints for learning activities.

General notes about the "power" symbol:

(1) Perhaps it is helpful to understand energy is the potential of the universe(s) and it can be manifest in countless forms. In this context power is the measure of the rate that the universe is manifest. We can use any form as measure, whether it be starpower or horsepower or manpower or mousepower or electronpower or windowpower or willpower...Each additional measure enables us to better imagine the potential of all, we are reminded of the multiplicity of forms and we experience more bounteous opportunities.
When we equate energy with power and both with any form, then we tend to blind ourselves to all manner of forms.

(2) New Zealand is an exemplar of the abuse of the "power" symbol. It is probable the associated unsustainable behaviour is reflected in countries with similar jurisdictions. It helpful to understand that legislative reform of the NZ "power sector" (also known as the "energy sector" and the Electricity Industry) alters NZ culture in important ways:

(a) 1986 legislation removed important elements of the accountability of private corporations to the people.
(b) 1993 legislation effectively made the practice of energy efficiency illegal.
(c) 1998 legislation effectively made it illegal for NZ communities to own the intelligence of their local electrical grids -not one of the previous 60 communities now owns that intelligence.
(d) 2011 legislation effectively deems the electrical intelligence of a dwelling's meter is the property of the corporation that owns the meter.

Hints for Learning Activities

Ancient wisdom suggests we can each easily be our own worst enemy. Study Consumer NZ PowerSwitch or your local, equivalent, consumer.protection agency. Count  the number of ways the websites confuse energy, power and electricity. See cartoons 17 and 21. Which social model does the agency promote? How is community intelligence and democracy best conserved?

https://www.powerswitch.org.nz/powerswitch

NZ Ministry for Economic Development

http://whatsmynumber.org.nz/RetailersInYourArea

Observe how advertisements frame articles - in this case search engine algorithms combine the advertisement and the article in a seamless way.

Here are the results of searches on "electricity market nz" and "power sector nz". What do these indicate about the state of democracy and science in New Zealand.

Below is the transcript of a Radio New Zealand National News item broadcast in 2007. Observe the confusion of energy, power, electricity and Bulk-generated electrical products. Is this typical of news broadcasts in your region? How would you edit this script to make it more sustainable?
Note: the NZ Broadcasting Standards Authority ruling that states it is acceptable to use these symbols "interchangabily can be viewed at

Newsreader: Queenstown could be facing a major energy crisis as rapid growth in the region puts pressure on electricity transmission lines. A consultant’s report has shown power lines, owned and maintained by Transpower, are insufficient to meet the expected growth over the next decade. The relevation has [civic?] bosses worried as Steve Wild reports.

Reporter: Queenstown’s booming economy has broken national records as the fastest growing district in the country. But a new report suggests the juggernaut may come to a grinding halt if the power runs out. A consultant’s report indicates transmission lines in the district are almost at capacity and Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Clive Geddis says the Council has no guarantee the electricity supply is assured.

Geddis: No we’re not a hundred percent, and the next piece of work that we need to do is to sit down with both the line companies and Transpower itself as the network provider and make sure that their predictions of population and visitor growth in this district match those of the Council.

Reporter: The problem may lie in the statistics. The local Council estimates Queenstown’s population will triple over the coming two decades. But Mr Geddis says Statistics New Zealand may have underestimated the region’s growth, particularly the spikes that occur during holiday periods, and those are the statistics used by Transpower to predict future demand. Worries about Transpower’s line capacity are backed up by Contact Energy which is also concerned it won’t be able to send enough electricity out of the district if a major wind farm near Alexandra gets the go ahead. Contact Energy spokesman Jonathan Hill.

Hill: The transmission network out of Central Otago is constrained. There are proposals for, you know, the best part of a thousand megawatts of new energy in the Central Otago region but the transmission network is in no state to accept anywhere near that much new energy; getting it out of the region will be a very big issue. The network is already constrained.

Reporter: Queenstown’s Mayor held an urgent meeting this morning with electricity supply company Delta Utilities to make sure the district will not run out of power.

Geddis: I have specifically put that proposition to one of the lines companies this morning and been assured that that will not be the case.

Reporter: While unable to fully guarantee supply at this stage, Transpower’s General Manager of Grid Investment, Tim George says the company can move swiftly if projected demand rises.

George: We can never guarantee supply of electricity, there’s always – you can’t design a perfect power system. But as far as our normal design for the Whakatipu and the Central Otago region, we are confident that we are able to meet the forecast demands.

Reporter: Mr George says if there are differences in projected growth figures, an urgent re-evaluation of the transmission grid will take place. He says upgrades could be in place within a few years.

George: We are able to upgrade substations, for example, reasonably quickly – takes about two years – so if we can resolve differences in opinions about the forecasts we can respond fairly quickly to upgrade the supply points and make sure that we can meet those demands.

Reporter: But Mr George does say in order to avert any possible crisis in the future the Council and Transpower need to start talking soon.

George: The way that I prefer to put it is that we understand what’s going on, we understand the current loads. If the loads are going to be significantly different in a very short space of time we would like to know about it with as much notice as possible so that we will have every opportunity to upgrade the supply system to meet those demands.

Reporter: Queenstown’s Mayor plans to talk to Transpower in the next few days. In Queenstown for Checkpoint, Steve Wild.