The Labour-Green proposal to cut Kiwi householders' power prices through radical market reform has been given the thumbs-up by consumer groups, but energy sector commentators are divided on the plan.

The Government says Labour and the Greens are trying to sink the Mighty River Power share float with a hastily drafted threat to impose Soviet-style intervention on the electricity market.

Labour and Greens want Crown-owned single buyer to set electricity prices for generators.

Labour and the Greens are promising a major intervention in the retail power system in a bid to lower residential power prices if they win next year's election.

Petrol prices are heading down towards the $2 mark with BP announcing a 3c price cut today as international oil prices tumble.

Brokers and analysts are predicting a strong take-up of Mighty River Power shares as the offer opens to the public today.

Crucial face-to-face talks between the owners of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter and Meridian Energy resume in Wellington today, and could take the rest of the week.

When people like the PM talk of an orderly transition to a post-smelter environment, they are talking about the scrapping of generating capacity, writes Brian Fallow.

New Zealand's largest solar installation has been put on top of the refurbished Shed 10 on Auckland's waterfront.

The first bite of autumn will be felt over much of the country in the next few days as rain sets in over the South Island.

German carmaker Audi is undertaking an interesting experiment: at one specially equipped parking garage the cars park themselves.

Prospects of keeping the Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter open in the long-term are grim, with Meridian Energy saying it is still in the dark.

The Government and its flagship asset sale programme will not be held hostage by Rio Tinto over the mineral giant's threat to close the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, Prime Minister John Key said yesterday.

Rio Tinto isn't going to get a deal out of the Government and is likely to shut down the Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter potentially at the cost of thousands of jobs over the next five years.

Rain will bring some relief to drought-stricken farms this week, but the seasonal outlook is for dry conditions to linger well into autumn.

Contact's share price dropped this morning, partly in response to uncertainty over the future of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter.

Prime Minister John Key says the government has "put its best foot forward" and will offer Rio Tinto no more than the short-term subsidy offered last week.

Auckland Museum is being touted as a green example for other city organisations after it succeeded in slashing its carbon footprint by 30 per cent in just two years.

Rio Tinto is doubtless more than happy that the Government has stepped in to try to broker a deal over the electricity supply contract for the Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter.

The Government has opened discussions with Tiwai Point aluminium smelter's ultimate owners Rio Tinto in a bid to broker a deal after talks between the smelter and Meridian Energy reportedly broke down.

Tiwai Pt aluminium smelter's owners have contradicted a report from Meridian, saying they think a power deal can be agreed on.

Trucks and bikes aren't a very good combination.

Consumers are putting their homes at risk by trusting unqualified solar power installers and substandard equipment, industry experts say.