About the Bioenergy Association of New Zealand (BANZ)

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. The Association 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 - sawmillers, wood processors, energy suppliers, energy researchers, consultants, manufacturers and investors.

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 form woody biomass will double to 50 PJ by the year 2010.

Objectives

What are the BANZ objectives?

The major objectives of BANZ are to:

  • Assist industry participants to realise commercial opportunities based on the wide range of biomass resources, particularly woody biomass in the first instance.
  • Assist Government to develop policies supportive of bioenergy projects and the development of export business opportunities.
  • Advocate policy issues to local, regional and central government, as well as to regulatory bodies, industry groups and other interested organisations to promote the benefits of bionenergy.
  • Promote the recognition of biomass as a sustainable energy resource.
  • Encourage and support research activities related to bioenergy technologies, biomass utilisation and the collation of industry data and industry statistics.
  • Identify, evaluate and, where appropriate, promote the development of markets for liquid and gaseous biomass fuels for the transport sector.
  • Encourage further uptake of waste-to-energy processes, in particular the use of landfill gases, municipal green waste, and dairy farm waste.
  • Promote the economic, environmental and social benefits of biomass use (including employment opportunities particularly in rural communities).

BANZ Action Plan

How will BANZ achieve the objectives?

The Association will:

  • Produce an Action Plan that ensures that the Association is financially well supported and able to fulfill its objectives.
  • Ensure that all participants in the industry are encouraged to be members, and the Association is highly respected, through the quality and quantity of its activities.
  • Nurture the bioenergy industry and the companies that work in it by supporting members to develop their business by providing information and other appropriate assistance.
  • Organise seminars, conferences and other promotional and educational events in order to disseminate information relating to biomass use.
  • Provide a forum for members to discuss bioenergy projects and to co-ordinate where appropriate.
  • Liaise and collaborate with similar international agencies and orgainisations.

You can download a copy of the BANZ Action Plan in PDF format here.

Management

Members of BANZ management

Board
Mike Suggate, Energy for Industry (Chairperson)
Per Sieverts Nielsen, Forest Research
Rob Mallinson, Living Energy
Pramesh Maharaj, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA)
Roger Fairclough, Ministry of Economic Development
Ralph Sims, Centre of Energy Research, Massey University
Gary Wilson, Garnet NZ
Andy Matheson, Natures Flame
Shusheng Pang, Canterbury University
Doug Pigon, Vortex Engineering
Jurgen Thiele, Waste Solutions

Policy Sub Committee
Rob Mallinson (convenor)

Research and Information Sub Committee
Per Sieverts Nielsen
Ralph Sims
Brian Cox (convenor)
Ian Bywater

Executive Officer
Brian Cox
Connie Crookshanks (deputy convenor of interest groups)

Treasurer
Brian Cox

Newsletter Editor
Ian Bywater

Constitution

The Association was formed with assistance from the following founding organisations:

You can download a copy of the constitution in PDF format here.

BANZ Submissions