The New Zealand Clean Energy Centre (NZCEC) is a state of the art facility located in Taupo New Zealand that was designed and established to demonstrate energy efficient and green architecture and showcase progressive, clean energy generation and solutions in a practical, real-life setting. The facility was established with a mission to accelerate the adoption of clean energy solutions by industry, communities, businesses and households in New Zealand and to highlight economic potential in developing green and clean energy focused solutions.
A model of energy efficient design and sustainable construction, The New Zealand Clean Energy Centre (NZCEC) is 100% powered by renewable energy powered off the grid with no connection to municipal services. CEO Rob McEwan says the NZCEC is the physical living manifestation of what is possible within the thriving clean energy sector and provides a glimpse into the future of what New Zealand is capable of achieving using fruits from its own backyard.
The design of The New Zealand Clean Energy Centre is highly interactive, and is aimed to provide visitors with a stimulating learning environment that demonstrates the boundless potential of what New Zealand firms are capable of delivering within the clean tech and green solutions space. All energy sources and operations within the building are monitored on an on-going basis with energy performance displayed remotely on screens throughout the building enabling visitors and prospective investors to witness first-hand the potential in developing systems that provide clean, and cost-efficient energy alternatives to the status quo.
Established as a community trust, The New Zealand Clean Energy Centre is less about being a commercial revenue generating operation than it is about demonstrating the breadth and potential of what clean technology options are available to New Zealand industry and providing an unique environment to stimulate increased levels of innovation and networking opportunities amongst progressive clean technology focused businesses.
Modelled after “Innovation Park” in Hamilton (a facility that has proven highly successful in increasing the innovative capabilities of the New Zealand dairy sector) the NZCEC is leased out to a variety of innovative clean energy companies who showcase a vast range of competitive clean technology offerings. Tenants range from renewable energy technology companies, geothermal energy provide, to biomass and waste energy systems firms all successfully carving profitable and lucrative niches within the clean energy space. McEwan sees this as being one of the key success factors of the facility. He says that housing a diverse range of complementary industry players within one facility has created a “nucleus of innovative thinking” , enhanced collaboration and accelerated a wealth of potential commercial opportunities and business synergies for these firms that may not have occurred working in isolation.
McEwan says the overarching drive to establish the NZCEC was not so much about displaying green leadership and being avid “greenies’ as it was about “entrepreneurial opportunism”. Further, while McEwan recognises there are huge environmental benefits deriving from the development of clean energy solutions and technologies his motivations in establishing the NZCEC stem from the huge economic benefit in taking advantage of becoming involved in what he considers the to be the “next big hockey stick of growth”.
McEwan believes that clean technologies offers NZ the vital ingredient to significantly increase the profit margins of products derived from the productive fertility of New Zealand’s agricultural land base. He sees clean technology solutions as being vital if the New Zealand’s economy is to transition from its poorly performing and commodity driven status towards a progressive, competitive and value added model.
Because of the significant investment characteristically required to successfully bring clean technology solutions to market (which New Zealand firms often lack access to, McEwan also believes there is huge potential for New Zealand to improve its economy through partnering with overseas technology firms and using their clean technology IP. He believes New Zealand can become the leading niche manufacturing and distribution hub of clean technology solutions for export to South East Asia and the South Pacific.
The NZCEC has already proven successful in facilitating business synergies and stimulating collaborative activities amongst its tenants that are forecast to yield significant economic returns for both the firms and greater New Zealand economy once fully commercialised. It’s an incubator that proves that the much needed shifted towards clean energy solutions and entrance into a growing $US240 billion growth industry is both a practical and commercially viable reality for New Zealand businesses.
More information: NZ Clean Energy Centre
