100 | NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER ENERGY PORT • Decades of skills, knowledge and experience supporting the o shore energy sector. • Embracing the future and working with renewable energy developers to bring o shore wind production to New Zealand. Ross Dingle, Head of Commercial Phone: 027 310 5112 | Email: rdingle@porttaranaki.co.nz Long regarded as New Zealand’s premier energy port, Port Taranaki also has its sights on becoming New Zealand’s premier renewable energy port. The only deep-water commercial port on the country’s west coast, and the closest to the site of at least three proposed offshore wind farms – two in the South Taranaki Bight and one off the Waikato coast – Port Taranaki is recognised as a key link in the development of an offshore wind industry in New Zealand. During the past two years, Port Taranaki has been building relationships with international developers, understanding how the port can support an industry Port Taranaki eyes key renewable energy role that is expected to be a vital part of New Zealand’s transition to a net-zero emissions future. “We’ve supported the oil and gas energy sector in Taranaki for decades, providing both offshore and onshore services, facilities, experience and skills, and believe these attributes will be beneficial for playing a supporting role in renewable energy ventures,” explains Port Taranaki Chief Executive Simon Craddock. “Offshore wind is one of the few renewable power sources that can be delivered at gigawatt scale and is likely to be vital in enabling New Zealand to reach its decarbonisation goals.” Recently, Port Taranaki, along with offshore wind developers Taranaki Offshore Partnership (a joint venture of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and NZ Super Fund) and the BlueFloat Energy and Elemental Group partnership, undertook a joint study into Port Taranaki’s capability to support the development of an offshore wind industry in New Zealand. The study found Port Taranaki is well positioned to be a marshalling port – for the arrival of componentry, laydown and storage, the assembly of componentry, and loadout – with certain upgrades to port infrastructure needed. “This study has confirmed that upgrades, some possibly significant, will be needed to support this industry and the various options will now be the subject of further assessments and consultation to understand the potential impacts of each,” Mr Craddock says. He says the study’s findings confirm the need for a focus on enabling port infrastructure now so that offshore wind development is not held back. “Experience from around the world has shown that nothing happens in offshore wind without suitable ports. “Major port infrastructure projects take, on average, 10 years to plan, consent, and construct, and we know offshore wind developers are targeting projects to be delivered in the early 2030s – this means we are already on the critical path to deliver the necessary port infrastructure. “We’re looking for timely and workable regulatory policy that is designed to ensure these opportunities are captured for the nation and our region.” Taranaki Offshore Partnership’s Giacomo Caleffi says Port Taranaki is a key part of the offshore wind equation for developers. “Port Taranaki is a well-positioned, deep-water port, which has decades of experience working in the energy sector – that ’s not always a given when starting on these projects, so we’re starting from a good position,” he says. Nathan Turner, BlueFloat Energy Country Manager for New Zealand, agrees. “Port Taranaki will be central to building a successful offshore wind industry in New Zealand. It will take years for these upgrades to be completed, therefore it ’s critical that work continues now to assess the feasibility of the upgrade options so that engineering and environmental studies can progress. This will ensure that the ultimate completion of port upgrades can occur prior to the offshore wind construction phase.” Port Taranaki Chief Executive Simon Craddock
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=