New bill seeks to encourage energy innovation

Organisation: Commerce Committee
For release: 10 November 2016

New bill seeks to encourage energy innovation and emerging technologies, such as electric vehicles

The Commerce Committee is seeking public submissions on the Energy Innovation (Electric Vehicles and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. The bill seeks to encourage energy innovation, such as emerging energy technologies and increased variation in energy-related business models, so that New Zealand has the ability to respond to its environmental and energy objectives.

The bill is an omnibus bill that aims to:

* amend the Electricity Industry Act 2010 and the Energy (Fuels, Levies, and References) Act 1989 to allow the Government, through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), to focus levy funding on the areas where the greatest impact can be made, as well as to improve the operation and administration of those levies:

* amend the Land Transport Act 1998 and the Road User Charges Act 2012 to implement measures to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles, specifically by extending the road user charge exemption to include heavy electric vehicles and clarifying a bylaw-making power so that road controlling authorities (RCA) may make bylaws to provide for electric vehicles (EVs) to have access to bus and high occupancy vehicle lanes:

* amend the Electricity Industry Act 2010 to clarify how electricity industry legislation applies to secondary networks (as a growing business model in the sector).

The Chairperson of the Commerce committee, Melissa Lee, said "As energy technology advances, New Zealand continues to improve efficiently and meet our climate change commitments. This bill aims to accommodate innovation, such as electric vehicles, as well as reduce emissions and improve energy productivity."

Have your say to the Commerce Committee and tell them what you think
Send your submission on the bill by midnight on Wednesday, 1 February 2017.

For more details about the bill, visit the Parliament website:

* Read the Regulatory Systems (Commercial Matters) Amendment Bill

* Get more details about the Regulatory Systems (Commercial Matters) Amendment Bill

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