Welcome to the BANZ Website
The Association
Who are BANZ?
The Bioenergy Association of New Zealand (BANZ) has been established to promote and coordinate the development of a bioenergy industry in New Zealand. BANZ provides a central focus point for liaison with Government agencies, the dissemination of information amongst the industry and long-term positioning of bioenergy into New Zealand's energy system.
Members include anyone with a commercial interest in bioenergy - wood processors, foresters, energy suppliers, energy researchers, consultants, manufacturers and investors. Activities are focused around wood energy, biogas and liquid biofuels.
What's New
Presentation to Ministry of Forestry, April 2010
"The Role of Bioenergy in Economic Growth from Forestry, Agriculture and Waste", B Cox, Bioenergy Association of NZ. Click here to download
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Government Scenario shows that a 3-fold increase in the use of bioenergy is possible
The Ministry of Economic Development has released its latest scenario of the New Zealand Energy Outlook. The New Zealand Energy Outlook presents long-term forecasts of energy supply, demand, prices and energy sector greenhouse gas emissions. The Change Gear Scenario sets out a future energy scenario for New Zealand that looks at the implications of how New Zealand could reduce its reliance on imported oil - principally through increased uptake of bioenergy. The scenario builds on a Reference Scenario released in September last year that presented a "business-as-usual" case for energy in New Zealand. The Reference Scenario highlighted several challenges if New Zealand continues along its current path, including a continuing dependence on imported oil, the prospect of further electricity price rises, and increasing energy sector greenhouse gas emissions. Click here to download a copy of the article covering this new scenario and this information along with detailed data tables can be accessed free of charge on MED's website at www.med.govt.nz/energyoutlook. The Changing Gear Scenario is very similar to the BANZ scenario on which the NZ Bioenergy Strategy has been based. Both sets of analysis show that NZ could have around 25% of its energy sourced from bioenergy by 2040. This would reflect a doubling in the use of bioenergy for heat and 30% of transport fuel coming from biofuels by 2040. Export of wood fuel and biofuels would be additional to that. |
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Development of a NZ Bioenergy Strategy:
The Bioenergy Options project led by Scion have produced a wealth of information about the bioenergy opportunities in NZ and have identified that NZ could be fully self sustaining in transport fuels from bioenergy. This work has been used as a base for development of a "picture of the bioenergy opportunities" and a draft strategy. These were discussed at a workshop convened by BANZ and the NZ Forest Owners Association in Wellington on 9th February 2010.
The development of a consistent strategy is essential if we are to align opportunities, investors, researchers and government policies.
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Biodiesel Grant Scheme:
- Biodiesel Grant Scheme is a success - following Labour's recent criticism of the Biodiesel Grant Scheme, Brian Cox, Executive Officer of the Bioenergy Association of New Zealand (BANZ) has maintained that the current biodiesel assistance scheme is producing benefits and giving confidence to the emerging biodiesel industry, (30 November 2009). Click here to download
- On 19th May the New Zealand Government announced the introduction of the Biodiesel GRANT Scheme.
Further details about the Scheme are available here
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Wood Energy Demonstration Project Funding:
- Business grants are available for demonstration projects relating to the use of wood as an energy source up to 40% of the capital cost of the project, with a minimum of $10,000 and maximum of $200,000. For details click here
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Wood Energy Feasibility Studies:
- Grants for feasibility studies are available up to a maximum of 75% of the feasibility study costs and the applicant must be willing to have the results of the studies publicised as a case study. For details click here
Forthcoming Events
BANZ 2010 Events: notification will be posted as and when events are made available
| Event | Details |
| Biogas as a Transport Fuel | November 2010 More details soon |
- Banz past events can be viewed here
If you would like further information on these items or if there are issues that you would like to suggest as areas of future focus - please contact the Programme Administrator
Current Activities
Technical Standards:
The BANZ Executive Officer is on the joint New Zealand/Australian Standards Committee so if you have technical matters relating to standards contact him.
Development of a Wood Pellet Fire Installer Training and Accreditation Scheme:
This is an industry funded initiative and will be delivered by two of New Zealand's leading Polytechnics.
If you would like further information on these items or if there are issues that you would like to suggest as areas of future focus - please contact Programme Administrator.
Mission and Vision
What is BANZ trying to achieve?
The mission of BANZ is to:
Encourage the utilisation of New Zealand's abundant biomass resources and provide renewable energy in the form of heat, power and transport fuels in a sustainable and cost effective manner. - Promote to the wider community the environmental benefits of Bioenergy including greenhouse gas mitigation and waste avoidance.
- To facilitate implementation of commercial bioenergy projects
The BANZ vision is that annual bioenergy production from woody biomass will double to 50 PJ by the year 2010.