The Great New Zealand Energy Survey 2021

In 2014, we conducted the inaugural Great New Zealand Energy Survey. From electric cars to power-saving tips and everything in between, we talked to thousands of our customers to get a better understanding of how Kiwis feel about electricity.

We did it again in 2017, surveying households across the country to get valuable insight into how New Zealand’s relationship with electricity had changed over the past three years.

Fast forward a few years and we’ve gone and done it again. Between 3 November 2020 and 31 March 2021, we spoke with thousands of electricity customers to get their views on power usage, the energy industry and what the future of electricity might look like. Everyone who took part in the survey went in the draw to win free electricity for a year - see this blog post to find out who won!

Below is a quick snapshot of some of the most interesting findings of The Great NZ Energy Survey 2021. 

To reveal the top results, click here.

1. We want electricity companies we can believe in

Kiwis always love a good bargain. But when it comes to electricity, it seems that price isn’t the only factor that customers take into consideration.
Increasingly, people are looking for electricity companies with values that align with their own. More than 8 in 10 (82 percent) survey respondents said that brand values and product features were important, up from 57 percent in 2017. Meanwhile, just 16 percent said that price was the only thing that mattered, down from 32 percent in 2017.

2. Switching providers is easy... for some of us

Every year, more than 400,000 households change electricity providers in search of lower power bills and better service, according to the Electricity Authority. But depending on who you talk to, changing providers is easier said than done.
Exactly half of the respondents in The Great New Zealand Energy Survey 2021 said that it was easy to switch retailers, while 28 percent believed changing providers was difficult and time-consuming. More than a quarter (28 percent) of respondents said they had switched retailers twice before, while 16 percent had never changed retailers.

3. We know how to get creative to save on power

Previous surveys have shown that New Zealanders aren’t afraid to get creative to save money on their power bills - and it’s a similar story in 2021.
This year, some of the most common power-saving strategies included using energy- efficient light bulbs (74 percent), opting for energy-efficient appliances (48 percent), using more blankets (47 percent) and limiting shower time (46 percent).
Check out this blog post for more unusual ways to save on power!

4. We’re not as excited about electric vehicles as we used to be

The previous iteration of The Great New Zealand Survey revealed that Kiwis were excited about the future of electric vehicles. In 2017, as many as 86 percent of respondents said that they would consider buying an electric car if it was the same price as a regular petrol car.
Since then, we saw huge growth in electric vehicle uptake, with the number of registered electric vehicles on New Zealand roads increasing from 2,767 in January 2017 to 24,705 in January 2021, according to figures from the Ministry of Transport.
However, survey respondents in 2021 were not quite as optimistic as they were in 2017. Just 46 percent said they would consider buying an electric car if it was the same price as its petrol-powered counterpart.

5. We want more freedom in the future

Many people are predicting a greater level of control over their household’s electricity needs in the years ahead. About 44 percent of respondents believed it would be possible to generate their own electricity in the future, down from 58 percent in 2017.
The demand for greater freedom was also reflected in respondents’ attitude toward energy plans, with almost half (47 percent) saying they would like to no longer be locked into contracts in the future.

Contact Pulse Energy

The Great New Zealand Energy Survey offers a sneak peek into how everyday Kiwis really feel about the electricity industry.
Here at Pulse Energy, we’re fully committed to meeting the ever-changing needs of New Zealand families. Give us a call today on 0800 785 733 and find out how much money you could save by switching to Pulse Energy.