We are delighted to tell you that we have bid to host the 2021 World Energy Week here in Wellington. We will be competing against the World Energy Council (WEC) member committee from Kazakhstan. The voting process for all WEC member committees will open on 8 August and will close at the Executive Assembly plenary at the World Energy Congress in Abu Dhabi on 8 September. If successful, we will host one of the biggest Energy Conference from 1 to 4 November 2021.

Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies have experienced cycles of high expectations followed by impractical realities. This time around, however, falling renewable energy and fuel cell prices, stringent climate change requirements and the discrete involvement of China are step changes. The combination of these factors is leading to realistic potential for hydrogen’s role in the Grand Transition.

We have listened to the views of New Zealanders, analysed information and looked at successful approaches to climate change legislation around the world.

The country’s new energy research centre should focus on barriers to commercial development of technology, BusinessNZ Energy Council executive director John Carnegie says. Policy and regulation could restrict the viability of some emerging technologies and the centre should work to identify those impediments.

The Government will invest $27 million to set up a national clean energy centre in Taranaki to help lead New Zealand’s transition to a low carbon future, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on Thursday, 9 May 2019. The centre will look at the full range of emerging, clean energy options, such as offshore wind, solar batteries, carbon capture storage and hydrogen.

BusinessNZ Energy Council (BEC) was pleased to have the opportunity to provide a submission to the Electricity Price Review Panel on its options paper, published on 20 February 2019. Overall, we support the Panel putting consumers at the heart of the electricity price review. The options paper outlines the importance for electricity prices to be fair and affordable for consumers, as well as efficient or competitive. We recognise that even with cost reflective, efficient prices, outcomes can emerge that are undesirable for some consumer groups. The full submission is now available on our webpage.

John Carnegie, the Executive Director of BusinessNZ Energy Council delivered a keynote on ”A First Look – BEC2060 New Zealand Energy Scenarios” at Downstream on Wednesday 6 March 2019.

Tina Schirr, the BusinessNZ Energy Council’s energy and innovation policy advisor delivered a guest lecture on “New Zealand’s energy efficiency and sustainability in the built environment” to final-year students at AUT University on Friday (01-04-2018 @ 12pm-1pm) at WG907.

We were delighted to host the Minister of Energy and Resources, Hon Dr Megan Woods at our annual 'state of the energy sector' briefing. The Minister discussed things like New Zealand's renewable energy strategy including its green hydrogen strategy, the electricity price review, general transition planning, Gas Act changes, process heat opportunities, resource strategy as well as the 2019 work programme.

The BusinessNZ Energy Council (BEC) was delighted to host its annual breakfast with the Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister of Research, Science and Innovation, Hon Dr Megan Woods.