Energy conversion: the path to more sustainable energy sources

Energy is at the heart of one of the most daunting challenges of the 21st century: sustaining a planet at risk from climate change.

Shifting the source of that energy is at the heart of TotalEnergies NZ’s climate-smart future plans.

TotalEnergies is a key player in a global network diversifying into new, low-carbon energy sources such as solar and battery power.

Addressing energy challenges

As is the case around the world, energy is essential to Aotearoa New Zealand’s economy.

However, emissions from energy accounted for 40% of New Zealand’s total carbon emissions in 2020, and things need to be done differently to create a sustainable energy system for future generations.

New Zealand has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and has set a target of 50% of total energy consumption from renewable sources by 2035, and an ambitious goal of reaching 100% renewable electricity by 2030.

Currently, about 84% of the country’s energy comes from renewable sources.

Of course, the challenges are not limited to New Zealand alone.

Record prices, fuel shortages, rising poverty rates and slowing economies have combined to put an increasingly interconnected world into its first truly global energy crisis.

Then there is the changing climate. Recognizing the urgent need for action, 196 countries signed the Paris Agreement in 2015, which sets a global framework for avoiding dangerous climate change by continuing efforts to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century.

Addressing energy challenges and the transition to a low-emission economy is the task of the entire society, including those who have traditionally worked in producing energy from fossil fuels.

It’s not just an oil company

TotalEnergies NZ recognizes the role it has to play in creating a sustainable future.

The company has already been supporting New Zealand businesses for more than 20 years.

With its roots in Hawke’s Bay, where it began importing oil, the company became Total’s distributor in 1999.

Since then, the oil, grease and lubricants supplier, which later became Oil Intel, has expanded to include 11 branches throughout New Zealand.

In 2020, Oil Intel signed a 50/50 joint venture with Total to create Total Oil New Zealand, which will be rebranded as TotalEnergies New Zealand in 2022.

The New Zealand-owned company is a partner of TotalEnergies, the world’s third-largest oil company, and is a major player in the transition to a low-carbon economy with goals to join the world’s top five renewables producers by 2030 and to be carbon neutral by 2050.

To this end, it is rapidly diversifying and investing heavily in global multi-energy initiatives.

For example, it recently bought French renewable energy company Total Erin, which has 3.5 GW of renewable energy operating worldwide and a pipeline of solar, wind, hydropower and storage projects of more than 10 GW in 30 countries. To name just a few of its projects, Total Erin is also building the largest battery-based energy storage project in Europe and the Seagreen offshore wind farm off Scotland, which, when completed, will produce enough electricity to power 1.6 million homes.

TotalEnergies New Zealand is also working on some projects behind the scenes and has several renewable energy projects underway in New Zealand over the next five years.

Commitment to sustainable and renewable energy solutions

TotalEnergies’ commitment to transitioning to more sustainable renewable energy solutions is clear.

In 2022, its total global investments reached $16.3 billion, including $4 billion in low-carbon energies, including solar and battery power.

In 2023, it expects that number to rise to $5 billion, which is more than the expected capital spending of $4.5 billion for new oil and gas projects.

The challenge is to move as quickly as possible from the current energy system – more than 80% of which is based on fossil fuels – to a carbon-neutral system.

For TotalEnergies, this means continuing to provide customers with the energy they need now, while accelerating investment in the low-carbon energies that will dominate in the future.

TotalEnergies wants to change lines and play its full part in addressing the climate challenge.

As the Official Sponsor of the Rugby World Cup France 2023, TotalEnergies’ support reflects its commitment to sustainability as an integral part of its strategy, projects and operations.

It is a partnership to create an environmentally responsible event, by providing free electric charging on match days to fans at TotalEnergies service stations around the stadiums; creating a dedicated car-sharing platform for the competition so that fans can get to and from the stadiums; Providing dedicated charging stations, powered by 100% renewable energy, for hybrid vehicles in the France 2023 fleet.

Being the official sponsor of the Rugby World Cup France 2023 is an honor and a pleasure for TotalEnergies, especially since integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline and respect – the key attributes of the sport of rugby – are closely aligned with the company’s values.

For more information, visit: www.tenz.nz.

Enter the competition to win a 2023 Rugby World Cup prize pack by visiting the Total Energies Facebook page and commenting on the competition post.