New Zealand has opened its first application round for permits to study the feasibility of offshore renewable energy projects covering designated areas off Taranaki and South Auckland.
Applications must reach the chief executive of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) by 17:00 NZST on April 19, 2027.
The wider regime covers wind, solar, wave and tidal developments.
Only offshore wind projects qualify in the first round; they may use fixed-bottom systems, floating turbine technology, or both. Each application must relate to one uninterrupted permit area in either of the two designated areas.
The round notice, approved by Minister for Energy Simeon Brown, sets seven mandatory conditions. Permit holders must begin the feasibility activities specified in their permit within 12 months of its start date.
They must also make reasonable and ongoing progress throughout the permit term and demonstrate that progress to MBIE's satisfaction, including providing evidence of financial capability for the following 12 months' work if requested.
Feasibility permits run for seven years, with provision for extension, and give holders the exclusive right to apply for a commercial permit. Construction and operation require a commercial permit and environmental consents.
Commercial permits run for 40 years, with provision for an extension of up to 40 years.
Applicants must consult relevant Maori groups before lodging. Applications must include a development plan, expected capacity in MW, annual output in GWh, and evidence of technical and financial capability.
Taranaki Offshore Partnership, a joint venture between Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and NZ Super Fund, has proposed a development off South Taranaki.
New Zealand Offshore Wind director Justine Gilliland told The Post that the company has been progressing two developments since 2022, one off South Taranaki and one off South Auckland, with a combined capacity of about 1.7 GW.
Parliament passed the Offshore Renewable Energy Bill on July 1, and the act entered into force on July 10. When the bill passed its first reading in December 2024, Brown expected the first application round to open by late 2025.
