A quarterly update for iwi, hapū and Māori with interests in the energy and resources sector.
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Nau mai, haere mai ki Pānui – Energy and Resource Markets
This is a quarterly update that covers relevant information for iwi, hapū and Māori with interests in the energy and resources sector, and provides opportunities to share your views directly with the Energy and Resource Markets branch.
The Energy and Resource Markets branch is part of The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
Have your say on the Emissions Reduction Plan
The government will be developing an emissions reduction plan (ERP), which set policies and strategies for meeting the emission budgets and will respond to the Climate Change Commission’s recommendations. The ERP is due to be in place by the end of the year.
Our team is leading work on the heat, industry and power (HIP) sector component of the ERP. We want to set up working relationships with iwi or Māori on the ERP work, particularly those with current or future roles in these industries or as energy users. Establishing long term Treaty relationships is important for future energy policy decisions and work programmes. Together we can ensure decarbonisation delivers positive benefits for Māori.
Once the Climate Change Commission has closed its formal consultation period, it will provide final advice to the government for the development of emissions budgets and a pathway forward.
If you are interested in becoming involved in upcoming formal engagement about the HIP emissions reduction plan, we’d like to hear from you. Contact us at:
We understand that you may already be engaged in consultation with the Climate Change Commission directly, and this may impact your capacity to engage with us. We will let you know when there are further opportunities for involvement in the future.
Read more about the Commission's advice and evidence — He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission
‘Responsibly Delivering Value – A Minerals and Petroleum Strategy for Aotearoa New Zealand Strategy’
Resource strategy progress update
Under Action Area 2 of the Resource Strategy, we set about taking steps in securing affordable resources to meet our mineral and energy needs. As part of this, we are currently in the initial stages of developing a list of critical minerals for New Zealand.
We are working to develop a set of criterion (keeping the Living Standards Framework in mind), to decide which minerals are critical. We’re also going to look into how the list will be used.
We would like to know if you are interested in the development of a list of critical minerals for New Zealand, and how you may wish to engage with us on this work.
If you would like to get in touch with us about this, email:
High interest for renewable energy fund
At the end of 2020, applications opened for the Renewable Energy Fund for Māori housing, which is managed by the Energy and Resource Markets team. The fund has up to $14 million available over four years, and has been set up to trial renewable energy technologies on Māori housing.
The team received about 260 applications for the first funding round – defying expectations and showing iwi and Māori are enthusiastic about renewable energy solutions for homes.
Some of the proposed solutions range from installing solar panels, batteries and other eco-friendly energy devices for Māori housing through to proposals for alternative technologies, such as geothermal heating and small scale hydro and wind generation.
The team have seen exciting proposals for larger scale projects, such as Māori gentailer solutions. This is where small scale solar farms are developed on Māori land, with the energy generated distributed back to Māori households through targeted retail plans. These examples look to lower energy costs for users, contributing to wider work to improve Māori health and wellbeing outcomes.
The deadline for submitting an expression of interest (EOI) for the first funding round has now closed. We are evaluating all EOIs and will contact all applicants by the end of March, 2021 to advise on next steps. Information for future funding rounds will be made available on the MBIE website.
Stay up to date with our work to reduce energy hardship
MBIE’s Energy Hardship Update is a new e-newsletter that will provide regular updates of work related to reducing energy hardship in Aotearoa New Zealand. The e-newsletter will include the latest about our ongoing work, announcements and other related news.
Check out the Energy Hardship Update webpage to view the first e-newsletter and sign up to receive future issues:
What is energy hardship? Have your say
MBIE is working to establish an agreed definition and indicators of energy hardship, and will soon be wanting to hear what you think. This work came out of the 2019 Electricity Price Review, which stated having a definition and indicators would enable the problem to be monitored over time and help determine whether policies aimed at reducing energy hardship are working.
The Defining Energy Hardship discussion document will outline MBIE’s current thinking and be open for public consultation when it’s released at the end of April or early May. We’re working to make sure a te ao Māori perspective is incorporated in the definition and are particularly keen to hear feedback from iwi and Māori. Keep a look out on the Defining Energy Hardship webpage for more information on how you can have your say.
Practical Māori GIS Mapping Wānanga
Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) is hosting fortnightly online wānanga to help you learn how to map your whenua and tell your stories through Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping.
Discover how you can use GIS tools and data to map your whenua, create 3D stories and flythroughs, access all the government GIS data, historical imagery, property data, and perform spatial analysis.
These wānanga are for kaitiaki, friends and whanau working in Māori trusts, settlement entities, takiwā and marae collectives and environmental and conservation groups.
Iwi engagement agreement signed for Tui decommissioning project
MBIE and Te Kāhui o Taranaki Trust have entered into a partnership agreement for engagement with iwi on the project to decommission the Tui Oil Field.
The agreement is to assist in ensuring Taranaki iwi’s cultural values and interests are recognised, understood and responded to throughout the decommissioning project.
