Stratford mayor Neil Volzke (left), South Taranaki mayor Phil Nixon, UK Indo-Pacific trade commissioner Martin Kent, Ara Ake chief executive Dr Cristiano Marantes, British High Commissioner to New Zealand Iona Thomas, Venture Taranaki chief executive Kelvin Wright and Ara Ake head of industry and government engagement Jonathan Young attended the meeting with the British delegation.
Stratford mayor Neil Volzke (left), South Taranaki mayor Phil Nixon, UK Indo-Pacific trade commissioner Martin Kent, Ara Ake chief executive Dr Cristiano Marantes, British High Commissioner to New Zealand Iona Thomas, Venture Taranaki chief executive Kelvin Wright and Ara Ake head of industry and government engagement Jonathan Young attended the meeting with the British delegation.
A British delegation was in Taranaki last week to discuss the potential establishment of an offshore wind industry in New Zealand.
On Wednesday, August 14, a delegation including officials from Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the British High Commission launched a report, commissioned by the UK Government, on trade and partnership opportunities within the industry.
The report, Aotearoa New Zealand - Development of the Offshore Wind Supply Chain, outlines key areas where Britain’s expertise could help grow potential partnership opportunities with Taranaki and New Zealand’s trade companies.
Key local stakeholders including Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, Ara Ake, Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, Port Taranaki, councils and developers attended the launch at Ara Ake in New Plymouth
Stratford mayor Neil Volzke, who was at the meeting, said the report shows the Taranaki coastline provides an opportunity to establish an offshore wind industry in the region.
“The natural environment and wind quality in the South Taranaki Bight location is second to none. As we transition to more green electricity generation and the consumer demand increases, offshore wind generation on the scale being talked about here will be a game changer.”
He said as Britain is a world leader in offshore wind technology and generation, it brings knowledge, experience and specialist expertise New Zealand could benefit from.
“There is no need for us to reinvent the wheel when they have already been through the development curve and learnt from their experiences. One of the key parts of the region’s economic development strategy is establishing ourselves as the energy province of New Zealand.
“As we transition from fossil fuels, we will require substantially more electricity. Offshore wind generation is well poised to provide for that demand increase and the existing energy sector in this region is keen to be part of that transition.”
Britain, which has the second-largest offshore wind market in the world, brings experience in financing methods, local and international supply chain development, and regulatory alignment, which are critical elements for making offshore wind successful.
British High Commissioner to New Zealand Iona Thomas speaks at the British delegation meeting on Wednesday, August 14.
British High Commissioner to New Zealand Iona Thomas said as the shift towards sustainable energy accelerates, the offshore wind sector in New Zealand is ready to respond.
“Achieving the goals that New Zealand and the UK have set ourselves requires unprecedented, transformational change ... The UK stands ready to use our experience to tackle the challenges and take a strategic approach needed to unlock the potential that New Zealand has.”
Venture Taranaki chief executive Kelvin Wright said having countries such as Britain offer practical support is a positive step.
“As we continue to progress what an offshore wind industry could mean for Taranaki and New Zealand, international collaboration is crucial.”
He said an offshore wind farm won’t happen overnight.
“We will need a unified approach between Government and industry to get offshore wind off the ground and support the region as it makes the transition. If we can get that right, offshore wind offers a generational opportunity for the region to transition our specialised workforce into renewable energy, helping New Zealand meet its future energy needs and sustainability targets, and opening the door for industry development like green hydrogen and synthetic fuel production.”
Britain's Indo-Pacific trade commissioner Martin Kent speaks at this week's meeting.
The potential of offshore wind farms in Taranaki was first highlighted in Venture Taranaki’s 2020 Offshore Wind Energy discussion paper. Since then, the annual Offshore Renewable Energy Forum (2020-2024), hosted by Venture Taranaki in partnership with Ara Ake, has been instrumental in building awareness and momentum for the industry.
Ara Ake chief executive Cristiano Marantes said collaboration and innovation are essential to realising New Zealand’s goal of doubling renewable energy generation.
“The valuable lessons we are learning from the UK, the world’s second-largest offshore wind market, are accelerating opportunities for offshore wind development here in New Zealand.”
