The Clean Technology industry is in the business of creating products and services that improve operational performance, productivity and efficiency while reducing costs, raw materials, energy consumption, waste and pollution. As the global economy faces climate uncertainty, resource shortages and energy price increases, the cleantech industry has never been more vital to economic progress, nor has it experienced more rapid growth. Cleantech is the largest area of activity within the economic stimulus packages of the United States, China and Korea. For the G20 countries, US$396 billion in stimulus funding is dedicated to green investments. In 2008, investment in renewable energy made history, surpassing investment in conventional energy projects for the first time.
Wellington’s Regional Economic Development Agency, ‘Grow Wellington’ is refusing to let the opportunity slip by. Their vision for sustainability and clean technology in the region is to drive economic growth forward by creating an ‘ecosystem’ to grow clean technology exports, with the aim of building a leading edge clean technology industry. With the region’s key research capabilities in waste to energy processing, marine distributed generation, sustainable design, low carbon product development, clean transport and geospatial technology, Grow Wellington is committed to harnessing the economic opportunities presented by the global cleantech movement.
Part of this commitment has been the development of New Zealand’s first purpose-built Clean Technology Centre, launched in November 2010. The Centre, located in Ōtaki on the Kapiti Coast, currently has the capacity to house 20 of the region’s clean technology businesses. The purpose of the Clean Technology Centre is to build a successful and sustainable business environment for tomorrow, assisting cleantech businesses grow and reach their goals in community with like-minded entrepreneurs and in a supportive business environment that facilitates research, product development and commercialisation.
The Clean Technology Centre is a collaborative hub of innovation for cutting edge technologies such as solar, biofuels, waste-to-energy and renewable power generation. The Centre aims to attract, connect, inspire and motivate like-minded startups to help them grow and prosper. The physical co-location of cleantech startups enables these businesses to connect with research and investment opportunities and build stronger networks.
The Clean Technology Centre New Zealand
The Clean Tech Centre is home to the likes of specialist companies in waste-to-energy conversion, environmental consultancy, energy efficient power usage systems, data intelligence and new forms of electric propulsion for vehicles. The Centre’s 12 tenants are already collaborating on projects, and Grow Wellington is looking to fill the remaining spaces with like-minded companies.
Astara Technologies is working on technologies to provide clean energy and waste saving benefits including PV generation, electric transportation and infrastructure projects.
Blended Fuel Solutions (BFSNZ) and Alternative Petroleum Technologies (APT) are two companies making a difference on a national and international scale on how society and industry use liquid fuels now and into the future.
Cquest is a clean technology company that has developed the capability to convert tricky waste products into their component parts that can then be recycled back into the environment.
Critchlow is one of New Zealand’s leading providers of location intelligence and geospatial services. They offer data, location intelligence software, and specialist expertise to help organisations leverage their data to gain insights that are difficult to see using traditional analysis.
ESG Asia Pacific deliver small to medium scale renewable energy solutions across Wind, Solar and Hydro systems. Working with ESG Green Energy allows companies to develop their own customized renewable energy solutions with technology systems that have a proven record.
Geozee System provides vehicle and fleet owners with the software solutions that maximize the efficiency of their vehicle and dramatically lower the total cost of ownership.
Greenkeeper Systems has designed The Greenkeeper™ in order to combat the issue of waste from idle computers. Whether home or business user The Greenkeeper™ is a smart a solution which will save money and help you play your part in the ongoing battle to save the planet.
Solarzone Supported by leading suppliers of both solar electric and solar hot water equipment, Solarzone offer complete solar solutions that will save on electrity bills and protect the value of building investments.
Spectionnz is a clean technology development company established in 2004. The company has developed a unique, patented process, which produces ‘value add’ products from various organic feedstocks and sequestes carbon.
Splice Group works with organisations to optimise the use of their physical assets and resources through consultancy, project management, development services and implementation of information systems. Through this process Splice provides trusted advice and pragmatic real world solutions.
WelTec Connect the service arm of the Wellington Institute of Technology, WelTec Connect helps businesses grow and adapt to changing conditions by offering research and development capabilities and business consultancy, aiding companies to develop new products, up skill staff, and find ways to be more productive, efficient and sustainable.
Zero Emission Vehicles is a New Zealand company that designs and builds electric drive solutions specifically for the heavy commercial road transport fleet. It is the industry leader in scientifically based vehicle emission testing in New Zealand.
The ESG Green Energy Pod based at The Clean Tech Centre, demonstrating its capability – powering up an electric motorbike
With our abundant natural resources, smart ideas and the engineering and scientific capability, New Zealand is well positioned to take advantage of the global transition towards clean technology. In aiming for 90% renewable electricity generation, Grow Wellington believes in New Zealand’s potential as a global leader. “We must all actively support growth in new areas of renewable generation,” says Dr Steven Finlay, Grow Wellington’s Clean Technology Centre of Excellence Manager.
“The Government’s support of industry-led uptake of science and technology innovation helps bridge the gap between research and commercialisation.
The clean tech business community is best placed to assess market needs. The research community can assist in providing science and technical solutions to meet these needs, and individuals, they have a key role to play in expecting their larger corporate citizens and local and central governments to adopt clean technologies.”
Initiatives such as The Clean Technology Centre can combine networks, funding, and research to harness world-class Kiwi thinking and help forge a path for New Zealand to the forefront of the global clean technology race.
For more information, visit www.cleantechnz.co.nz
