New technologies such as LED lighting and solar panels are meant to be making electricity cheaper and reducing reliance on traditional electricity markets. But Nine to Noon recently highlighted the case of Wellington City Council's plan for installing LED streetlights to save electricity costs, which is being hampered by the local lines company saying it would change its charging formula to recoup any money lost. Wellington Electricity's chief executive referred to new technology "marching across the hillside looking at eating your lunch off the table". And there's been outrage after Meridian and Contact Energy slashed the price it pays for solar energy coming off its customers' houses. So what's the future of new technologies being able to put a dent in consumers' power bills and is the industry playing fair?
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