Speaker
Description
The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (the Ministry) is one of the largest government departments in New Zealand. It is the lead agency for the regulatory systems for Energy and Resource Markets which include the electricity system, gas system, fuel system and petroleum and minerals. It also has teams dedicated to innovation from both a policy and technology standpoint in its Science, Innovation and International branch.
In May 2022 the New Zealand Government launched its first Emissions Reduction Plan, which outlined a number of actions to progress the country towards a more resilient, low emissions economy. As part of this plan the government has committed to develop a hydrogen roadmap to set Government objectives for hydrogen, and its potential to reduce emissions and maximise economic benefits for New Zealand. New Zealand’s Climate Change Commission identified innovation and system transformation as one of three pillars for a comprehensive policy package to reduce New Zealand’s emissions.
Another action in the Emissions Reduction Plan is Sustainable Aviation Aotearoa (SAA), which was launched in November 2022 by the Ministry of Transport. SAA is a public- private leadership body to guide the decarbonisation of the aviation sector, including through operational efficiencies, infrastructure improvements, and frameworks to encourage research, development and innovation in sustainable aviation.
SAA has established three working groups to explore zero emissions aircraft, sustainable aviation fuel and strategic settings to enable these. At the same time Air New Zealand, New Zealand’s national airline carrier, announced its Mission Next Generation Aircraft accelerator programme. The programme has an ambitious goal for a commercial demonstrator zero emissions aircraft flight in 2026. Ultimately, they are preparing to replace their Q300 domestic fleet with aircraft likely to be powered by green hydrogen or battery hybrid systems from 2030.
The Ministry’s Innovative Partnerships team, alongside colleagues in the Energy Markets and Resources team will present on our Government’s initiatives in hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuels and advanced aviation in New Zealand. It is exciting to see an emerging eco-system to enable cutting edge technologies in cryogenics, hydrogen fuel cells and hybrid-electric aircraft to be trialed and tested in Aotearoa New Zealand.
