Close message

Services to Schools

Electricity

Power can be generated from renewable sources such as sun, wind, water, geothermal and biofuels. Learn more from these resources covering circuits, power generation and stations, experiments, conductors, insulators, uses and safety. SCIS no. 1819477

Filter by media type

Display as

Electricity in New Zealand

History of electricity in New Zealand.

Exploring solar power

In this activity, students explore sunlight being converted into electricity. They are introduced to the concept of photovoltaics – making electricity from sunlight. They will become aware of some ...

The numbers and math behind our everyday appliances.

The journey of electricity to your home

The movement of electricity from the power plant to your home or business.

Mercury and family disagree over power cut death

A woman died within two hours of a contractor cutting power to her Mangere home at 2pm yesterday.

School-experiments electricity

A Pinterest board full of electrical ideas, activities and experiments for students.

Sources of electrical energy

Electrical energy can be generated from renewable and non-renewable sources.

About electricity

Facts, warning signs and safety tips etc. when using electricity.

Old electrical appliances

Imagine you could go shopping for electrical goods and appliances in the 1960s.

Safety tips from Transpower, the owner and operator of New Zealand’s national grid.

Electrical generator

The dynamo and different types of generators.

Power to fuel a light bulb

Shows how much power is required to fuel a light.

Science experiments with electricity

Simple science experiments with electricity and magnetism.

Energy inventors

Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison and other inventors helped the world with their energy inventions.

Science and art

Using electricity to burn patterns onto wood.

Electrical conductors and insulators

Some materials allow current to flow freely and some offer resistance.

Future batteries

Future batteries will charge in seconds, last months and power over the air.

Simple ways to lower energy bills

Some simple easy ways to save on power bills.

Climbing wind turbines for a living

These days, giant wind turbines are supplying more and more of our clean energy. And when they break down, they need to be fixed fast.

How electricity is generated

The relationship between magnetism and generation of electricity.

Statistics relating to electricity use in New Zealand.

How electricity works

An animated guide to the science of electricity, how it is measured and power lines.

Electricity in nature

Electricity is all around us in nature.

Circuit workbench

Circuit board activity to help learn about the characteristics of series and parallel circuits.

Six-foot electric eel

This huge predator can blast prey with 500 volts of electricity.

Conversion of energy from flowing water into electricity.

Explanations about electricity, static electricity and current electricity etc.

Geothermal energy

Clean renewable energy from hot water found beneath the earth’s surface.

Electricity for kids

Facts, games, projects, worksheets etc. on electricity.

Electric circuits

A lesson plan on modelling, building and drawing electric circuits to test the conductivity of various materials.

A bird can sit on a power line without getting electrocuted.

Understanding meter readings

What do the numbers on my meter mean?

Radio

Radio, portable.

Electric tram

Electrical circuit diagram

Electrical circuit diagram

Electrical circuit diagram, taken for Kenyon Brand and Riggs Ltd and General Electric Company in 1970 by K E Niven and Co, commercial photographers of Wellington. Other - Reference number 960/70. ...

Electricity use drops during Earth Hour

Electricity use drops during Earth Hour

Power consumption dropped about 2 percent on Saturday night as climate-conscious New Zealanders switched off their lights.

Technician survives an electric current of 75,000 volts.

Generator on the harbour bridge

Generator on the harbour bridge

The original 1959 back-up electric generator supplying power to the Auckland Harbour Bridge control at the headquarters in Sulphur Beach, Northcote, taken on 19 March 2004.

Lake Coleridge power station

Lake Coleridge power station

The New Zealand government began building hydro stations in the early 1900s. Lake Coleridge was the first major station selected because of its geography and proximity to the growing city of Christ...

Electric car charging area

Electric car charging area

Rod Davenport in a one person electric car owned by Roy McGuinness, Petone. Photographed ca 7 January 1966 by Evening Post photographer Mark Coote. Publication note - published in the Evening Post...

Asset sales share sweetener

Asset sales share sweetener

In 2012 the National Government revealed their plans for selling up to 49 percent of state owned power companies: Might River Power, Meridian Energy, Genesis and Solid Energy. These sales were to b...

Inventor, Frank Cresswell

Inventor, Frank Cresswell

This is a photograph of inventor Frank Cresswell from Petone. He created his own solar panels and wind turbines to produce electrical energy. His efforts to harness energy were successful because h...

Electric lighting at Reefton

Reefton was the first town in New Zealand to get electricity.

Wairakei Geothermal power station

Wairakei Geothermal power station

Geothermal energy is one of the most attractive and reliable sources of renewable energy in New Zealand. It produces around 13% of the country’s electricity supply.

Stun of a gun

Bolt from a sprinter or taser gun.

Electric storms

Saving energy

The Jitterati comic strips are an attribute of the creative talent of Grant Buist, a cartoonist and animator from Wellington. His characters are used in satires on political, social and economic de...

Huntly Power Station

Huntly Power Station

The Huntly Power Station plays an important role in New Zealand’s electricity supply.

Making ends meet

Making ends meet

In 2009 an energy analyst asked for a report into the state of New Zealand’s electricity market as it was believed that power companies were overcharging householders. This prompted the Commerce Co...

Electric power station

Electric power station

Historical image of an electric power station.

Old telephone

Cheap power expected from geothermal plant

Cheap power expected from geothermal plant

MightyRiverPower expects electricity costs from its latest geothermal development near Taupo to be lower than normal for new geothermal power stations, and well below the assumed cost of new wind f...

Electrolysis for hair removal

Electrolysis for hair removal

Use of electric shock to remove hair.

Use of electricity on farms

Uptake of electricity From the early 20th century some larger isolated farm stations generated power from their own small hydroelectric plants. The first electricity on many smaller farms also came...

Solar-power panel, Antarctica

Solar-power panel, Antarctica

New Zealand scientists working in Antarctica rely on solar panels such as this to power some of their field equipment. The photograph was taken at Cape Hallett, a small ice-free area in North Victo...

Brooklyn wind turbine

Brooklyn wind turbine

The Brooklyn wind turbine on Polhill was built by the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand in the early 1990s to test the feasibility of a regional wind farm. Visible from many parts of Wellingto...

Clyde dam

The Clyde dam is a major producer of electricity. In New Zealand the electricity market has no international competition and local competition is limited. Such a good is often described as ‘non-tra...

Electronics factory

Electronics factory

Tait Electronics manufactures portable radios, base stations, mobiles and mobile data products. This factory in Christchurch, shown here in the 1970s, is one of several owned by the company in New ...

The Slipper bath

The Slipper bath

Use of electricity to help ease joint pain and stiffness.

Underground power lines

In the 20th century municipalities began putting services like electricity cables underground to improve the appearance of streets. This clip shows how it was done.

Electric train

Ten English Electric ED locomotives were bought for use on the Wellington–Paekākāriki section of the North Island main trunk line – a stretch of line that was electrified by 1940. The first locomot...

The electric fence

The electric fence

The electric fence, developed in the late 1930s by Waikato inventor Bill Gallagher, has many uses on the farm. Here it is used to allocate feed when dairy cows are dry in winter. Bill Gallagher and...

Inauguration of power station

Inauguration of power station

Historic footage of the opening of the Roxburgh hydro-electric power station.

Wind-generated electricity

Wind-generated electricity

Dean Williams speaks to the Earth Watch Institute's Joseph Florence about the global increase in wind generated electricity.

Driver takes out power lines

Driver takes out power lines

Forklift driver hits high voltage lines rendering millions without power.

Erection of first electric power pole

Erection of first electric power pole

Topic: ROXBURGH Copy negative number: c/nE5254/24 Title: Erection of first electric power pole Sequence: contact print in originals Notes: RMC Neg47

Curious application of electricity

Curious application of electricity

The period 1901-1909 was marked by some notable electrical discoveries such as the first true radio broadcast, and the arc generator, etc.

Electric shocks

Electric shocks

A chain of unfortunate events occurred in Auckland when a telephone wire came in contact with a high voltage wire from the city electrical power house.

Auckland power fails

Auckland power fails

Around 85,000 homes were without power due to an outage in Auckland in October, 2014. It was caused by a fire that damaged Transpower’s Penrose substations.

Saving energy with appliances

This Beacon factsheet covers choosing energy efficient appliances and appliances that use electricity when you think they are off.

Powering a piggery

A farmer uses biogas to generate electricity.

Transmission project commissioned

The first of New Zealand's three big electricity transmission projects was formally commissioned by the Prime Minister on Thursday.

Samoa explores alternative energy

The Samoa Government has invited proposals from independent power suppliers in a bid to find a cheaper means of providing power to consumers. Two companies have responded but the Minister...

Smart energy meters

Consumers learn about energy consumption with new energy meters.

Aucklanders catch on to E-bike trend

Aucklanders catch on to E-bike trend

They've been used by Wellingtonians for years, but now Aucklanders are catching on to the growing trend of E-bikes.

Disposable batteries

Disposable batteries

Heavy duty, alkaline or lithium batteries – which are the best?

Castle Point lighthouse plan

Castle Point lighthouse plan

This is one of a series of plans on the Castle Point Lighthouse. Held in the Marine Department plans, it dates from 1911 - two years before the light on the lighthouse was first lit. Technical de...

Early TV studios

Early TV studios

Title: TV, studios [22 photographs] Archives reference: AAFH 7304 W4771Box 2 / p B41-1457 www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=20828557 At 7.30pm on 1 June, 1960, New Zealand’s fir...

Lightning and your television

Well, last night's thunderstorm was a bit of a feeble affair after the fireworks of Wednesday. There were a few flashes, the odd rumble, and a bit of rain, but it cleared away after an hour. May...

What does electricity cost?

I was at a local intermediate school this morning, talking to a group of students about energy. It's a pretty broad topic, and they were very enthusiastic, meaning I only got through about half of...

Renewable energy sources

Renewable energy is fuel that comes from a source that can be replenished in a short amount of time. This includes solar, wind, water, geothermal power and bioenergy. While renewable energy sources...

The Sun is the source of almost all our energy. It is a huge ball of hot gases that gives off energy as heat and light. This is called solar energy, which just means energy from the Sun. The amount...

Detecting light in space

Dr Melanie Johnston-Hollitt, from Victoria University of Wellington, describes how she uses different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum (X-rays and radio waves) to explore galaxy clusters.

Lightning explained

Lightning is a large-scale natural spark discharge that occurs within the atmosphere or between the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface.

Photovoltaic roofs

Professor Ashton Partridge from Massey University aims to produce a roof that will supply us with all the electricity we need.