Energy infrastructure assets are designed and built to last for decades. These assets do not exist and function in a vacuum. It is only natural that changes in technology, business models, and government policies will occur over their lifetime. Previously, these changes were simply an evolution of the existing mode of producing, delivering and consuming energy. What is happening today in the energy world is a paradigm shift, characterized by new values of sustainability, flexibility and affordability, enabled by a completely new way of producing, delivering, and consuming energy.

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.

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.

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.

We begin the new year with a warm welcome to our new BEC member ARUP. ARUP is an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists, working across every aspect of today’s built environment.

Merry Christmas from the BEC team, David, John and Tina. Have a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year. Thanks for reading our newsletter, we hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we’ve enjoyed writing it. Find our last energy sector update for the year below. We’ll be back with our next update in February 2019.

It's been fantastic running our second Asia-Pacific Energy Leaders' Summit. With more than 250 delegates and 34 keynote speakers from all over the globe this was undoubted an outstanding event. We've received great feedback and want to thank all our speakers and investors for making the Summit a great success. Please find here some pictures capturing some of the highlights. Videos and presentations will be available soon. In the meantime, we would like to share the Summit's CEO roundtable communique and other news around the Summit.

Our Asia-Pacific Energy Leader’s Summit is the must attend event before the 2018 conference calendar draws to a close. The programme features Ministers, international speakers from Amazon, ARUP, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, Daikin, Uber and other innovators from Silicon Valley and the Asia-Pacific. You definitely want to hear from this line-up. Our keynote speakers are keen to share ideas and best practice with you. Register now.