What would it take to create a brighter energy future for New Zealand?

That was the question at the heart of a high-powered panel discussion sponsored by Ventia at the Building Nations Conference in Wellington on the 6th of August.

Facilitated by our Central Region Operations Manager Harsharan Singh, panel participants John Clarke (Transpower), Karen Boyes (Major Electricity Users Group), Jeff Schlichting (Helios Energy) and Chris Abbott (Contact Energy) shared their insights with movers and shakers from across New Zealand’s infrastructure industry.

The discussion, titled ‘Optimising electricity market settings for a sustainable energy future’ highlighted three key themes that are central to getting New Zealand’s electricity market settings right for the future.

Getting the regulatory framework right to unlock investment

A major focus of the conversation was the critical importance of regulatory settings that encourage investment in New Zealand’s energy infrastructure. Getting this right is more relevant than ever following widespread media coverage about rising energy prices and their impacts on Kiwi homeowners and businesses.

The panellists agreed that a more streamlined consenting process was important for attracting the capital needed to build the renewable-energy generation hubs, transmission networks and supporting infrastructure New Zealand requires.

Conversation also touched on the value of cross-party collaboration to establish a consensus which maintains support for key infrastructure projects when governments change.

These changes were seen as critical aspects for the development and maintenance of a modern, efficient electricity network in New Zealand.

Balancing renewable energy with network resilience

A second key theme highlighted one of the New Zealand energy sector's biggest challenges: how to accelerate renewable-energy integration while maintaining the resilience of our electricity network.

The panellists recognised that while New Zealand has ambitious renewable-energy targets, we still need backup generation capacity for when the sun isn't shining, the wind isn't blowing, or lake levels are low.

This challenge is particularly relevant during dry years, when hydroelectric power – our largest renewable source making up over half of total national electricity generation – can be significantly constrained. The seasonality of many renewable energy sources makes maintaining diverse generation options, including traditional energy sources like natural gas, crucial to ensure sufficient capacity during lean times.

Aligning market signals with net-zero goals

A third theme of the panel discussion was how market mechanisms should be properly aligned with New Zealand's net-zero emissions targets and what changes are required to support progress towards them.

The conversation touched on the importance of long-term thinking in design, recognising that, with assets being built to last for more than 100 years, the infrastructure decisions we make today will shape our nation’s energy network for decades to come.

This includes not just electricity generation assets, but also the transmission and distribution networks that connect renewable-energy sources to consumers.

The panel agreed that achieving net zero will require coordinated investment across the entire electricity value chain – from generation through to the grid infrastructure that enables renewable energy to reach homes and businesses reliably and affordably.

Working together leads to positive outcomes

Ventia's sponsorship of the discussion panel at Building Nations reflected our commitment to supporting informed dialogue about our nation’s energy future.

We understand that getting the market settings right is fundamental to achieving New Zealand’s renewable-energy goals while maintaining the reliable, affordable electricity supply that powers the country’s economy and Kiwi homes.

The insights shared during this discussion will help inform ongoing efforts to optimise market settings and support a sustainable energy future – work that we are proud to support through our expertise in delivering and maintaining critical energy infrastructure projects.

Singh said the discussion was positive and underlined the need to work together to build and maintain a network that is both sustainable and secure.