🌍 Why Sustainable Energy?

Fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) release greenhouse gases that cause climate change. They're also running out. Renewable energy comes from sources that naturally replenish — sun, wind, water, and Earth's heat.

Aotearoa is a world leader in renewable energy!

85.5%

of NZ electricity came from renewables in 2024

100%

renewable electricity by 2030 — a government target, not a commitment, and one that has shifted before

20%

of electricity generation from geothermal — unusually high internationally

Source: MBIE, Energy in New Zealand 2025 (2024 data year). These shares move every year with rainfall — a dry year cuts hydro sharply — so check the current edition before teaching them as fixed.

Renewable Energy Sources

💧

Hydroelectric Power

Water flows through dams, spinning turbines to generate electricity. NZ's largest source (54% of generation in 2024).

✅ Pros

• Clean, no emissions
• Reliable
• Can store energy

❌ Cons

• Dams change rivers
• Affects fish migration
• Droughts reduce power

♨️

Geothermal Energy

Heat from deep underground turns water to steam, spinning turbines. NZ has lots due to volcanic activity!

✅ Pros

• Available 24/7
• Very low emissions
• NZ has plenty

❌ Cons

• Location-specific
• Can release some gases
• Expensive to set up

💨

Wind Power

Wind turns large turbine blades, generating electricity. Growing fast in NZ!

✅ Pros

• Zero emissions while generating — but not zero over the whole life cycle: manufacturing, transport, installation and disposal all carry emissions. That gap is exactly what life cycle analysis exists to measure.
• NZ is very windy
• Getting cheaper

❌ Cons

• Wind is variable
• Visual impact
• Can affect birds

☀️

Solar Power

Solar panels convert sunlight directly into electricity. Great for homes and businesses.

✅ Pros

• Zero emissions while generating — but not zero over the whole life cycle: manufacturing, transport, installation and disposal all carry emissions. That gap is exactly what life cycle analysis exists to measure.
• Works on rooftops
• Costs dropping fast

❌ Cons

• Only works in daylight
• Less in cloudy weather
• Needs batteries for storage

🌿 Traditional Energy Use

Māori and Sustainable Resources

Traditional Māori practices already embodied sustainability principles:

• Geothermal cooking — using hot pools and steam for hāngī
• Water power — pā sites often near water for irrigation
• Kaitiakitanga — guardianship ensuring resources for future generations
• Seasonal harvesting — taking only what's needed

🔮 The Future of Energy

Emerging Technologies

• Hydrogen fuel — clean fuel made using renewable electricity
• Better batteries — storing solar/wind power for later
• Tidal/wave power — using ocean movement
• Smart grids — intelligent electricity networks

✏️ Activities

Activity 1: Energy Audit

Look around your home or school. List 5 things that use electricity:

1. ________________ Could this use less energy? ______
2. ________________ Could this use less energy? ______
3. ________________ Could this use less energy? ______
4. ________________ Could this use less energy? ______
5. ________________ Could this use less energy? ______

Activity 2: Design Challenge

Design a home that uses 100% renewable energy. What systems would you include?

My renewable home design:

👩‍🏫 Teacher Notes

Curriculum Links

• Science: Physical World — energy transformations
• Technology: Energy systems, sustainability
• Social Studies: Sustainability, decision-making

Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment

Tuhia ōu whakaaro · Write Your Thoughts

Reflect on your learning. What was the most important idea? What question do you still have?

Aronga Mātauranga Māori

This resource sits within a kaupapa that recognises mātauranga Māori as a living knowledge system with its own frameworks, values, and ways of understanding the world. The New Zealand Curriculum calls for learning that reflects the bicultural partnership of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which means every subject area has an obligation to engage authentically with Māori perspectives — not as cultural decoration but as substantive contributions to how we understand our topics. The concepts of manaakitanga (care for others), kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (relationship and belonging), and tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) provide a values framework applicable across all learning areas, and all are relevant to the work in this handout.