The New Zealand Clean Energy Centre (NZCEC), with funding from both the government and private sectors, has finalized architectural plans for its 800 square metre facility in Taupo and aims to begin construction this year. The facility will be located at the intersection of the new State Highway 1 bypass to Taupo, and State Highway 5, offering high visibility at what is being described as the new southern gateway to Taupo.

The Centre offers a cluster environment for clean energy-related businesses, an opportunity for technology and service businesses to exhibit and demonstrate their clean energy solutions, and a focal point for clean energy-related events, with a venue that will host up to 80 people in a theatre setting.

Rob McEwen, CEO of NZCEC, says interest in the facility has been strong. “What we’re hearing from the market is that this is an idea whose time has come,” says McEwen. “Technology providers in the clean energy fields of biomass, geothermal, wind and solar have either made commitments or shown strong interest in demonstrating their wares, and of the office space available, more than 60% is committed at this stage,” McEwen says.

Technology providers wishing to demonstrate their solutions are encouraged to get in touch with NZCEC now. “We’re aiming to utilise as many different solutions as possible to deliver energy – both heat and electricity – to the building, and to incorporate metering so that visitors to the building can see where the energy is coming from,” says McEwen.

In addition to the building project, NZCEC has been actively working with industry and institutions to explore clean, renewable biomass as a replacement fuel for their heating needs. NZCEC recently completed a study, funded by the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA), to determine the cost at which forest waste could be supplied as boiler fuel. The study found that the fuel would be considerably less expensive than fossil fuels. Even when the capital cost of boilers are taken into account, biomass is roughly on a par with gas, and is a less expensive option than LPG or diesel.

NZCEC discussions with companies and institutions about whether they would prefer to own and operate their own energy plant or to outsource ownership and operations have indicated a strong preference for outsourcing. So, NZCEC has developed a “packaged biomass solution” which is now being promoted to LPG and diesel users. “We have brought together a technology provider, an engineering company, and an energy company willing to own and operate the plant, and packaged this with our own biomass fuel supply expertise to offer a solution which we believe eliminates virtually all of the barriers to switching from fossil fuels to renewable fuels,” says McEwen. “Initial response to our marketing programme has been very strong, and I believe that within 5 years, many of New Zealand’s primary processing firms, as well as institutions such as hospitals, universities and prisons, will have made the switch to bioenergy, in part because the economics make sense, and in part because shifting to renewables is seen as the right thing to do.”