Marine energy
The waves and tides in New Zealand's coastal environment are a world-class resource for marine energy generation.
Research and development, both overseas and in New Zealand, are underway devising technologies to extract energy from waves and tides. Such technologies could play an important role in New Zealand's future electricity supply portfolio.
EECA administers the marine energy deployment fund which assists the deployment of wave and tidal generating devices.
There are numerous locations in New Zealand where wave or tidal energy technologies could be deployed. Due to weather conditions, wave energy tends to peak in the winter season, when electricity demand is greatest.
Technology
The world's first commerical marine energy ‘farm' was launched off Portugal, in 2008. Many governments around the world are committing resources to ensuring the development of commercial devices in the next few years.
There are many different potential devices for harnessing the energy in waves and tides. This diversity of device mirrors the early development of wind turbines, where most of the industry eventually settled on a successful basic design. The same may happen to wave and tidal energy devices over time.
Community and environmental impacts
Marine energy devices generate no greenhouse gas emissions as they operate, as they work with the renewable energy provided by wave and tide movements. Many devices are submerged, and so they cause little or no visual impact.
Work is currently being done to determine what potential environmental effects may arise from marine energy devices.
Most marine device deployments will be close to shore (within 50m water depth and the ‘12-mile limit'). Despite being in the ocean, marine energy devices are covered by usual Resource Management Act processes.
Supporting the deployment of marine energy devices
The marine energy deployment fund has been set up through EECA to bring forward the development of marine energy in New Zealand, by supporting the deployment of generating devices.
More information
- Marine energy deployment fund
- A legal opinion on Marine Energy and the Resource Management Act
- Find out more about renewable energy in New Zealand
- Aotearoa Wave and Tidal Energy Association
- Read the report The Development of Marine Energy in New Zealand
