Marine Energy Deployment Fund

In October 2007 the Government established a four-year, $4 million Marine Energy Deployment Fund (MEDF) as part of the New Zealand Energy Strategy 2007. The fund was designed to accelerate innovation and assist with the costs associated with concept testing and device deployment. Approximately $4 million of grants were allocated in four annual rounds between 2007 and 2011. Funding was subject to a number of conditions, such as the project receiving a Resource Consent. In funding round one a grant of $1.85 million was awarded in 2008 to Crest Energy for a 3 MW tidal stream generator project at the entrance to Kaipara Harbour, north of Auckland. In funding round two $760,000 was awarded to the WET-NZ project put forward by Power Projects Ltd and Industrial Research Ltd to deploy a half scale point absorber wave energy converter at Moa Point, Wellington. In funding round three a proposal put forward by Chatham Islands Marine Energy Ltd (CHIME), to install a shore-based device to capture wave energy, was awarded $2.16 million. In funding round four (2011) funding was awarded to three projects: Wave Energy Technology New Zealand Ltd (WET-NZ) received $361,884 for the installation of a cable at WET-NZ's Moa Point Test Site on Wellington's south coast. Community Leisure Management Ltd (CLM): Parnell Baths Marine Energy received $203,000 for the installation and deployment of up to three turbines on the Tamaki Drive Road Bridge to harness the tidal flows in and out of Hobson Bay. The electricity generated by the turbines was to be used to pump and re-circulate treated seawater in the nearby Parnell Baths. Tangaroa Energy Rakia Amps Ltd received $312,000 for the Tangaroa Energy/Langlee Wave Power Project - the manufacture of a 20kW wave energy device was to be installed and deployed in the eastern waters of Stewart Island. While unfortunately none of the projected supported through the Fund were successful, it gave the opportunity to gain some important experience in this emerging renewable energy area.

Want to know more about this policy ? Learn more