By Aleida Powell, Spot Trader, Genesis Energy
*The views expressed by this Rangatahi member are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of the organisation(s) they represent.
I’d never heard of the RAP (Rangatahi Advisory Panel) before I started at Genesis Energy just before Christmas. But soon after joining, I saw a video of Hinera, one of my colleagues, speaking at Parliament at The Aotearoa Circle’s hui for future voices - and I was blown away. Seeing someone I worked with up there, contributing to something bigger than their day job, was so inspiring. That was my first real introduction to The Circle and for what it stood.
When Genesis put the call out for the next RAP member, I talked to Hinera about it. I told her I wasn’t sure I was up to it - I had no idea what it meant to be on an advisory panel, let alone what I might have to offer. But she encouraged me, saying she’d felt the same way and had grown so much from the experience. That was all the nudge I needed.
Now that I’m here, I’m excited - really excited - about what’s ahead. From just one session so far, it’s already clear that I’m going to learn so much. Everyone around the RAP table brings a unique perspective on sustainability - and while I live and breathe energy issues, I’m keen to better understand the challenges and opportunities in other sectors too. The energy world can be a bit of a bubble - and the RAP is a chance to step outside of it.
What do I bring? The obvious answer is energy sector knowledge -carbon emissions, decarbonisation, and how that’s playing out in our electricity system as we move away from fossil fuels. But more than that, I bring energy in the literal sense too. I care. I’m passionate about The Circle’s work and I want to help drive real change. I want to see Aotearoa reach net zero and restore its natural capital - and I want to be part of making that happen.
My day job is as a Spot Trader at Genesis, and I still think I might be the first spot trader many people have ever met! It’s not a well-known role, but it gives you a front-row seat to how the electricity market really works. I spend my days (and nights - it’s shift work!) making sure our generation assets are responding in real time to market conditions. It’s high stakes, fast-paced and incredibly rewarding. You learn quickly how demand, generation, and price all dance together and how even small weather changes can make big waves.
When I think about why I care so much about emissions reduction and the energy transition, I guess it’s because I’ve always loved being outdoors. Growing up in Wellington, the hills, the beaches, the unpredictability of the weather - they’ve all shaped how I see the world. New Zealand is beautiful, and I want it to stay that way. I know there’s a long way to go, but I believe we’re in a unique position to make real progress, especially in energy.
Joining the RAP has been a reminder too that young people do have something valuable to say. It’s about learning from young people as much as with them. And that feels really powerful.
