The BusinessNZ Energy Council has welcomed MBIE’s review of the New Zealand electricity sector. BEC Chair David Caygill says the review broadly shows that the sector is a reliable producer of competitively delivered electricity with the ability to meet increased demand in the future.

A hydrogen ecosystem could harness the skills of both the country's petroleum and renewable energy sectors, Hiringa Energy chief executive Andrew Clennett says. Clennett says the country's integrated economy - with interconnected gas and power networks and abundant natural resources - combined with a culture of innovation means New Zealand is well-placed to commercialise hydrogen. "We're a wonderful microcosm of an OECD country. We've got all the bits and they're all connected. We've got the gas networks, we've got the power networks, we've got the renewable energy sources."

Technology, the extent of government intervention and society's relationship with energy are some of the critical potential sector uncertainties out to 2060, energy leaders say. Those issues were among a wide range of uncertainties raised by about 60 people who attended a BusinessNZ Energy Council 2060 workshop held in Wellington yesterday. Attendees included major energy users, those from the hydrocarbon sector, power generators and retailers, government officials and academics. They were asked to consider the BEC 2050 scenarios and a Whiteboard Energy case study on the changing role of Government involvement in the New Zealand power sector over the past century.

Joshua Riddiford, Energy News 
Industry leaders including Transpower's grid development general manager Stephen Jay, outgoing Electricity Authority chief executive Carl Hansen and Contact Energy's regulatory affairs and government relations head Louise Griffin have volunteered to mentor the sector's younger professionals. The Young Energy Professional Network's new programme randomly matches mentees, who sign up to the programme, with a mentor in their city to meet that month. The mentor and mentee will then organise their own meetings.

The fifth Annual Energy Issues map for New Zealand (below) shows an energy sector grappling with the risks and opportunities of digitalisation, decarbonisation and decentralisation (the ‘3Ds’).

A 2018 World Energy Issues Monitor highlights shifting priorities in the energy sector with an accelerating transition towards digitailisation, decentralisation and decarbonisation.

The BusinessNZ Energy Council welcomes the reopening of a potline at NZ Aluminium Smelters at Tiwai Point. The Line 4 quarter potline at Tiwai Point was closed in 2012 as production there became unprofitable due to low global aluminium prices and high electricity spot prices. Now the potline is to be reinstated as a result of a longer-term fixed-term power agreement with Meridian Energy. BusinessNZ Energy Council Chair David Caygill said the agreement indicated the strength and competitiveness of the energy market in New Zealand.

The energy sector is taking the lead in developing a model for its own future. The BusinessNZ Energy Council (BEC) and public and private partners have commissioned a comprehensive model of New Zealand’s entire energy sector. BEC Chair David Caygill says the energy sector is critically important to New Zealand, and decisions for the future should be based on the best available information and analysis.