ERANZ Welcomes Government Move To Update NPS On Renewable Energy

The Electricity Retailers’ Association of New Zealand (ERANZ) welcomes the government’s announced plans to update its National Policy Statement on renewable electricity as part of a suite of proposed updates to the Resource Management Act.

ERANZ agrees with Minister for Infrastructure Chris Bishop that: “Decision-makers need clear guidance that renewable energy is vital to our prosperity. We need billions of dollars of investment in the coming years in renewable energy supply but it’s too hard to consent renewable energy projects.”

ERANZ Chief Executive Bridget Abernethy says, “Our members are committed to investing the billions of dollars needed to scale up electricity supply to meet current and future demand but are still facing barriers to consenting. Even when consents are granted the process is lengthy and expensive hampering the effort to deliver the electricity we need.”

“Our members are doing the heavy lifting, expecting to invest more than six billion in renewable energy projects over the next five years.”

But Abernethy says that is all dependent on timely and successful resource consent approvals.

“We very much welcome the Minister’s view that, ‘Decision makers need clear guidance that renewable energy is vital to our prosperity.’

“ERANZ also agrees the electricity sector is facing volatility as it transitions away from fossil fuels and faces supplies of gas running out far faster than predicted. A more directive National Policy Statement on renewable energy should, together with greater certainty on industry regulations, boost the impetus to build the generation we need.”

She says removing impediments to building for an electrified prosperous future for New Zealand shows laudable pragmatism and ERANZ looks forward to making a submission on this plan.

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