Forty-plus electricity sector innovators enter the Power Innovation Pathway

The Power Innovation Pathway – the Authority’s ‘open front door’ for innovators to access regulatory information and support to bring fresh ideas to market faster – has received 44 submissions since its launch in September.

We are delighted to have received interest in the Pathway from a diverse innovator community, including electricity market participants, businesses, individuals, the public sector and community organisations.

Submissions have included potential solutions to enhance Aotearoa's electricity sector through cutting-edge technologies, regulatory advancements and market-driven initiatives.

We have divided applications from Round 1 of the Pathway (closed 18 October) into four themes:

• Learn-by-doing trials, where applicants propose a trial to demonstrate a novel approach to delivering consumer benefits and have requested our involvement to:
  • scope the trial to inform regulatory activities, and
  • connect the findings and perspectives of the trial to relevant work and teams at the Authority.

• Innovator cohort, presenting solutions with no explicit regulatory barrier, but with potential to provide perspectives that could inform the Authority’s activities (including projects such as the Energy Competition Task Force).

• Specific Code support, with innovators asking specific questions about how they should interpret sections of the Code relevant to their initiative.

• Innovative proposals, but no regulatory support currently required, where innovators have simply applied to give the Authority visibility.

Our team are currently prioritising applications from Round 1 for enhanced regulatory support and will share more information in the new year.

We are looking forward to working with select innovators to provide bespoke advice to foster innovation and progress solutions to benefit the sector and consumers.

Submissions for regulatory information and advice, and for entrance into Round 2 of the Power Innovation Pathway, remain open. The process is quick and easy - innovators can enter the Pathway here.