It is becoming increasingly evident that change is needed to achieve a more sustainable and equitable future for generations to come.

However, any new direction requires a strategic approach to enable the challenges, impacts, and opportunities to be fully understood. One of our most significant challenges is striking the right balance to maintain and improve our current standard of living while minimising our impact on the planet.

Could harnessing our natural wind resource be one of the answers? Exploring the possibility and opportunity of offshore wind in Taranaki supports the region's long-term vision for a resilient, high-value, and low-emissions future. Our vision is articulated by Tapuae Roa and Taranaki 2050 - the guiding strategic documents for the Taranaki region and co-created with the people of Taranaki.

In 2020, Te Puna Umanga/Venture Taranaki, the region’s development agency, released a discussion paper highlighting offshore wind as an important energy opportunity for the region and Aotearoa, New Zealand.

This foundational work has set the scene for the third Offshore Renewable Energy Forum held in New Plymouth in March and hosted by Venture Taranaki and Ara Ake, New Zealand's future energy centre.

The sold-out event, with over 200 in-person and online attendees, included iwi, international experts, government, developers, and energy innovators who explored the challenges to commercialising offshore technologies. There was a strong focus on the opportunities for the development of offshore wind in New Zealand, including off the coast of South Taranaki. The event also featured informative presentations on other marine based technologies, including wave energy generation devices and energy storage solutions.

A global overview was also provided, highlighting how New Zealand can utilise international experiences to its advantage. By adopting these learnings, the development of an emerging industry across the motu can be supported, resulting in maximum benefits for the community, local supply chains, and service providers. The aim is to ensure that the industry’s growth is sustainable with a focus of long-term benefits for all.

Ara Ake Chief Executive, Dr Cristiano Marantes, explained, "The move towards a more sustainable, equitable and resilient energy future has put a spotlight on the offshore renewable energy sector, and the scale of investment and deployment of offshore renewable energy projects globally is unprecedented. The Forum's exceptional insights and discussions will certainly act as a tailwind to New Zealand's offshore renewable energy journey."

And Taranaki could be at the heart of it.

Kelvin Wright, Chief Executive Te Puna Umanga /Venture Taranaki, says, "Taranaki is well placed to be at the forefront of an offshore renewable energy industry to support our transition to a low-emissions future while presenting an intergenerational opportunity by providing environmental, economic, and social benefits.

These benefits include job creation for our current, upcoming, and future workforce, supplying a significant and reliable source of electricity to meet our energy needs, the manufacture of green products and services, exports, and more urgently, reducing emissions to mitigate the impacts of climate change."

Port Taranaki Chief Executive Simon Craddock, agrees and says the possibilities and potential for offshore wind production in Taranaki and New Zealand are "very exciting".

"New Zealand has one of the best offshore wind resources in the world, and this industry will likely play an important role in a low-emissions future," says Craddock.

Port Taranaki has been in discussions with offshore wind developers who hold an inspiring vision for the future of large-scale renewable energy in Taranaki and have ambitious timelines to deliver significant generation by the early 2030s.

"Progress won't be possible, however, unless processes on the critical path, such as regulation, and support of infrastructure development, including transmission and ports, occur so these projects can be consented, funded and developed," continues Craddock.

"We're a deep water port – deep enough to support the development of offshore, fixed bottom and floating projects, and we have 65 hectares of land. With our proximity to the proposed development sites, our skills and experience having worked in the energy industry, our laydown and storage areas available on-site, and our berths for the specialist support vessels, we believe Port Taranaki has a key role to play in support of this emerging industry," Craddock said.

Wright echoes this and explains, “for more than 100 years, Taranaki has been the home of energy in New Zealand. As a result, our region is humming with the skills and expertise of generations of industry experience. Leveraging this existing highly skilled workforce will be important as a renewable energy industry develops and will pave the way for positive impacts for our communities within the next decade.”

But what steps are needed to ensure we progress towards a sustainable energy future, one that can guarantee energy security and intergenerational prosperity?  

It has been suggested that offshore wind turbines could be operational in Taranaki waters by 2030, however, the forum highlighted the importance of collaboration and true partnership with mana whenua, local and central government and private business as being critical to meeting this timeline in a responsible manner. In addition, an enabling regulatory regime, infrastructure plan, skills and talent pipeline, and environmental impact assessment criteria will also be necessary to support the development of the industry.

“We’re seeing rapid growth in offshore technologies globally, and meaningful collaboration plays a crucial role in ensuring that all New Zealanders can actively participate in the benefits of a low carbon future through having access to equitable and affordable energy,” says Dr Marantes.

The Forum was timed following recent announcements about planned offshore wind development off the coast of South Taranaki and Waikato and to enable conversations about the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) discussion document, 'Enabling investment in offshore renewable energy'.

MBIE's discussion document consults on proposed approaches to enabling feasibility studies for offshore renewable energy developments, and submissions close at 5pm, 14 April, 2023. For more information or to have your say, visit the consultation webpage at - mbie.govt.nz/have-your-say/enabling-investment-in-offshore-renewable-energy/.

Further consultation will take place from June 2023 to focus on the broader regulatory settings for how infrastructure will be constructed, operated, and decommissioned.

The March 2023 Offshore Renewable Energy Forum was sponsored by BlueFloat Energy, Elemental Group, the partnership between Copenhagen Infrastructure and NZ Super Fund, WITT Te Pūkenga, RPS Group, Parkwind, and Beca.

Presentations and video recordings from the Forum can be viewed at www.araake.co.nz/oref.