Because renewable generation is often remote from existing load and major transmission lines and development timing differences can exist between renewable generation assets and transmission, some generators might be deterred from investing in renewable plants.

In order to facilitate the coordination of renewable and transmission investment, the Commission initiated the “transmission to enable renewable” project (TTER Project) to:

  • enable participants to better understand how the current framework (part F of the Electricity Governance Rules 2003 (rules)) could be utilised to support the integration of renewables; and
  • provide an up to date “map” of renewables location and sizes which would feed in the next Statement of Opportunities (SOO) and be used by Transpower in its next Annual Planning report (APR).

The first step of the TTER project consisted of constructing a 'resource map' of possible wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal generation. In order to ensure that the information collected was accurate, the Commission contacted generators that held useful information on this.

The TTER project also sought to identify whether there were likely to be economic transmission investments that Transpower could progress through Part F to support the development of renewable generation. This analysis also included consideration of whether there was a case for investigating whether changes were needed to the rules.

Phase 1

The Commission completed the following process (Phase 1) set out in the table below:

DateMilestone
13 December 2007 Publish draft consultation reports on hydro, wind and geothermal resources and request submissions on analytic framework and draft conclusions
17 December 2007 Workshop on draft consultant reports
1 February 2008 Submissions closed on the draft consultant reports
7 April 2008 Draft TTER report published
2 May 2008 Second workshop on TTER project
9 May 2008 Submissions period close on draft TTER report
11 July 2008 Published the final TTER report (Phase 1) with the following appendices (including finalised consultant reports):
  • appendix 1 - summary of submissions and Commission's responses
  • appendix 2 - final geothermal report "Transmission to enable renewables - Existing and potential geothermal generation in New Zealand" prepared by the Electricity Commission
  • appendix 3 - final hydro report "Transmission to enable renewables - Potential NZ Hydro schemes" prepared by Parsons Brinckerhoff Associates
  • appendix 4 - final wind report "Transmission to enable renewables - Economic wind resource study" prepared by Connell Wagner
  • appendix 5 - "Transmission to enable renewables: Transmission network reinforcement - Inputs for GEM" prepared by System Studies Group
  • appendix 6 - "A possible real options framework to support transmission to enable renewables" prepared by the Electricity Commission

The culmination of Phase 1 of the TTER project was the publication of a final report (final TTER report) and the related consultant and Commission staff reports.