The Supporting Energy Education in Communities (SEEC) fund has been an EnergyMate partner since 2021 and Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) announced on 27 June that the coaching service will be included in its latest funding round.
“We know the difference EnergyMate can make for households doing it tough and it’s great to have that recognised through ongoing support from SEEC,” Electricity Retailers’ Association of New Zealand (ERANZ) Chief Executive Bridget Abernethy said.
EnergyMate is an ERANZ-led initiative funded by electricity retailers, lines companies and government, carried out in partnership with community-based financial mentoring and kaupapa Māori services.
The award-winning service involves specially trained local energy coaches visiting the homes of eligible whānau to advise where savings can be made in areas like heating, lighting and hot water, and provide practical advice to help understand power bills.
Coaches also connect consumers with their power company to ensure they’re on the best plan for their needs and organise community workshops to show people how to get the most out of their power.
EnergyMate helps to keep bills affordable – 30% of households made a positive change with their power company after a coaching visit and 67% saw a reduction in bills.
Since it began in 2019, EnergyMate has helped more than 2,500 households and is available in locations across New Zealand. For more information visit www.energymate.nz