Offshore Renewable Energy Act now law

It outlines a framework for managing offshore renewable energy developments by creating:

• a two-stage permitting regime designed to give potential developers greater certainty and enable the selection of developments that best meet New Zealand’s interests
• consultation requirements to ensure relevant interests are considered, including consultation with Māori groups
• obligations to ensure the decommissioning of infrastructure occurs at the expense of permit holders and owners of transmission infrastructure
• the ability to have safety zones around infrastructure to protect infrastructure and people
• provisions to enable the administration, monitoring, and enforcement of the regime and associated offences and penalties.

More information is available:

Offshore renewable energy

The legislation enables the government to run application rounds for feasibility permits. Now that the Act is in force, regulations relating to feasibility permits and cost recovery will be made.

Read the Minister's Press Release:

Building the future of offshore renewable energy(external link) — Beehive