Regional renewable energy assessments

 

What is the potential ?

Councils are continuously planning for the best ways to use their resources. The uses are many and varied – energy generation being just one area for consideration. EECA realised that there was an opportunity to help Councils identify what renewable energy resources they had in their area, and then how to integrate this information into their planning and strategy processes.

The regional renewable energy assessment programme was set up to address this need. EECA has worked with the following Regional and District Councils*:

• Bay of Plenty [PDF 1.5 MB]
• Auckland [PDF 2.37 MB]
• Waikato [PDF 1.59 MB]
• Canterbury [PDF 1.70 MB]
• Taranaki [PDF 1.70 MB]
• Tasman [PDF 1MB]
• Northland [PDF 1MB]
• Marlborough [PDF 1.96 MB]
• Manawatu-Wanganui [PDF 1.53 MB]
• Wellington [PDF 1.17 MB]
• Otago [PDF 2.28]
• West Coast [PDF 6 MB] (If you are unable to download this report, call EECA on 0800 358 676 and we will send you a hardcopy).

 

Greater uptake of renewable energy presents national benefits such as enhanced security of supply and reduced climate change effects.

It should be noted that the assessments have not accounted for how all environmental and cultural issues will affect renewable energy potential. These are addressed at a local level through the Resource Management Act process.  The assessments present indicative estimates for the amount of renewable energy that could be realised in terms of the resource available outside National Parks and using technologies that are already economic or are likely to become economic over the course of the next ten years.

 

* Please note: There are no maps at the end of the electronic versions of the assesments, as the files become too large for the website. Please call EECA on 0800 358 676 to order a hardcopy version if you wish to view the maps.