Renewable Energy in New Zealand

This paper describes and appraises provisions in New Zealand law that promote the use of renewable sources of energy. For some time, the policy climate has been hostile to interventions in the marketplace but since a change in government in 1999, laws have put more emphasis on renewables. Measures include statutory strategies, a climate change programme, amendments to general environmental and land use legislation, and amendments to electricity legislation. These measures give only modest encouragement, but wind energy is growing rapidly nonetheless.