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Company offers energy shortage business solution

Published: Tue 15 Apr 2003 05:35 PM
Media Release – April 15
High profile company offers business solution to energy shortage
A leading New Zealand company Snowy Peak has a solution to the power shortage that looms over the country this winter.
Christchurch’s Snowy Peak was a finalist in the Energywise Awards last year for helping their entire staff reduce their household power bills.
The company said today it will again be offering to supply low energy bulbs and cylinder wraps to all 115 employees before winter bites. The company will lend money to staff to buy the bulbs and the wraps on an interest-free, slow pay back scheme.
``If the results were extrapolated across all businesses in New Zealand we would save one power station equivalent of hydro energy,’’ Snowy Peak chief executive Peri Drysdale said today.
``We have encouraged our staff to keep track of their electricity bills. Our projections suggest annual electricity savings of around 95 kilo watt hours, with a payback period of only seven months.
``This saving if the rate of uptake of the offer would be the same as for Snowy Peak’s staff families scaled up to the national level, represents a significant 1.3 percent reduction in electricity demand, to the extent of a small power station.’’
The Government’s Energy and Supply report last year hinted New Zealand was heading toward a long term electricity supply shortage.
Ms Drysdale estimated the uptake this year will be greater as individual families reported saving up to 33 percent of their power bill in the worst winter months.
``The potential is enormous and so simple to achieve,’’ she said.
Snowy Peak’s energy-saving system will be monitored in the coming months to measure the amount of power savings. Their bid to save on energy is part of the company’s ongoing sustainability ethos.
Ms Drysdale was last year named South Island Businesswoman of the Year. Her subsidiary company Untouched World won the contract to ‘kit out’ the leaders at the 1999 Apec forum in Auckland. Former US president Bill Clinton returned to New Zealand last year to buy more Untouched World clothing.
Untouched World brand is one of 50 top Kiwi fashion labels. They have also created a range of 100 percent pure body products.
Untouched World was named top fashion store in Auckland in the city’s annual Top Shop awards from 2000 nominations. They also have stores in Queenstown and Christchurch.
Ends
Media advisory: For further information, interview or photos contact Peri Drysdale at Snowy Peak 03 358 3809 or 021 326 079 or Kip Brook at Word of Mouth Media NZ 03 374 5426 or 021 033 8455

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