Financial Assistance Programmes

There are a number of barriers preventing New Zealand businesses from achieving the levels of economic electricity efficiency estimated by KEMA. Key among these are very real capital constraints preventing a large number of electricity efficiency projects from proceeding, particularly so in the current economic climate.

The Commission is offering financial assistance to businesses in the commercial sector that want to improve their electricity efficiency. Assistance may be provided where there is a barrier to the project proceeding, which the Commission’s funding is overcoming, e.g. the project does not meet the business’s internal rate of return criteria

Projects typically include measures such as:

efficient lighting upgrades;
HVAC systems enhancement;
refrigeration efficiency measures;
continuous commissioning of building management systems; and
monitoring and targeting systems.

If you are interested in the Commission’s commercial sector electricity efficiency programmes, please contact one of our programme partners to find out if your business qualifies for financial assistance. The Commission’s programme partners were selected via a competitive tender process.

Projects are assessed by the Commission on a case-by-case basis, and in accordance with the Commission’s investment criteria – which focuses on achieving electricity savings at less than the long run marginal cost of new generation.

Typically programme partners are required to identify a level of guaranteed electricity savings to be derived from a project and the Commission’s funding is required to be repaid on a pro-rata basis if the savings are not achieved. The guarantees provide greater certainty when projecting future electricity savings from the Commission’s programmes.

As a result of the commercial sector programmes, the Commission envisages a substantial number of electricity-saving projects will be implemented that would not otherwise have proceeded.

Last update on 04 August 2010 11:05 AM