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Dunedin City Council – Kaunihera-a-rohe o Otepoti

Energy Leaders

Last updated: 22 Jan 2021 3:36pm

Energy Plan Energy Leaders

Current position

Our city is home to a wealth of energy-related activity, some of which is unique in New Zealand. Dunedin already has leaders in the energy space, namely:

  • major energy users working creatively to manage their energy costs
  • innovative energy sector businesses with a commercial and employment presence in the city
  • businesses that have undertaken valuable energy initiatives
  • membership organisations, like the Otago Chamber of Commerce, that have individual members taking smart action on energy.

These leaders already work together, from informal discussions around fuel suppliers to commercial partnerships and joint research.

Action and delivery

Energy Leaders builds on this platform. The Dunedin Energy Leaders Accord establishes a formal alliance around good energy practice and innovation. Members of the Dunedin Energy Leaders Accord signal their recognition that greater energy efficiency and security is important to achieving the city’s economic development ambitions and can create commercial opportunities for local business.

The starting point for the accord is major energy users, where the biggest gains in using energy more efficiently in Dunedin are likely to be made. Major users are likely to realise more financial savings and be more able to fund work to reduce their energy bills. While this might mean they have already made changes to reduce their energy use, they are also unlikely to have reached their full potential.

At a high level, the accord will include commitments from Dunedin’s energy leaders to:

  • share energy thinking, activity, data, information and case studies
  • support the energy work in the wider Dunedin community by sharing energy leaders’ expertise and profiling approaches
  • pursue and publicise their individual and joint activities in the energy space, highlighting Dunedin’s innovative approaches and concrete action to a wide audience
  • support work to improve links between business and research on energy issues
  • seek opportunities to pursue local partnerships with a preference for Dunedin-based service providers.

To support the accord there will be a biannual Energy Leaders Panel for accord members and academics in the energy space to ensure energy challenges and innovative energy research are linked for success.

Over time, it is anticipated Dunedin’s energy leaders will take forward work to strengthen other Energy Plan 1.0 actions, for example supporting smaller businesses and the community through mentoring or establishing a local energy award for small businesses. Large users may also begin to direct corporate social responsibility activities to community energy initiatives.

Measuring success

Successful delivery of this action will result in:

  • reduced combined energy intensity1 of the accord’s members to enable future economic development
  • more media coverage of Dunedin’s energy activity
  • greater inclusion in national work to address energy issues.

Footnote 1 - Energy intensity is the ratio of energy spend to operational expenditure overall – this measure will be explored with early accord partners during the consultation period.

Key delivery partners

A number of organisations have already agreed to participate in the accord, including:

  • ADI Systems Inc.
  • Ahika Consulting
  • Aurora Energy
  • Cadbury
  • Dunedin City Council
  • Dunedin International Airport
  • Energy Link
  • Ngāi Tahu
  • Otago Chamber of Commerce
  • Otago Museum
  • Otago Polytechnic
  • Otago Southland Employers’ Association
  • Pioneer Generation
  • Port Otago
  • University of Otago

Energy Plan Energy Leaders

Our research suggests that many small and medium businesses don’t see energy as a major cost. Yet we’ve also unearthed some businesses that have made major energy savings. Steve McNulty at Classic Jaguar Limousines in Dunedin is a superb example. Doing 8000 kilometres of business a month makes every fuel-saving action count, from fitting older cars with bigger wheels and electric fans to purchasing new aluminium-bodied vehicles. Steve started with a sustainability focus but his bankers can’t believe the financial gains he’s achieved. Steve is applying the same approach to every facet of his award-winning business and is impelling his suppliers to make changes that ultimately benefit all of their customers. That type of leadership is helping to make Dunedin’s economy stronger. - DR SARA WALTON | SENIOR LECTURER, OTAGO BUSINESS SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO

Photo by Stefan Mutch

Confirmed activities
Delivery activities Lead organisations Measuring progress
Boost energy efficiency action through an Energy Leaders Accord with city-wide membership representing most of Dunedin’s large energy users, energy research institutions and key energy sector firms.
  • Accord drafted and signed by early adopter partners
  • Panel meetings scheduled
  • Energy Plan 1.0 co-ordinator support confirmed
  • Establish links between business and research focused on commercial opportunities
  • Define energy reduction plans (potential individual/common energy savings targets)
  • Sharing of energy data where useful and possible
  • Dunedin City Council
  • Port Otago
  • Otago Polytechnic
  • University of Otago
  • Ngāi Tahu
  • Otago Chamber of Commerce
  • Otago Southland Employers’Association
  • Aurora Energy
  • Ahika Consulting
  • Energy Link
  • ADI Systems Inc.
  • Number of confirmed participants in accord
  • Proportion of annual energy consumption/expenditure/research funding/contracts represented by accord participants
  • Level and term of secretariat support secured
  • Number of panel meetings/attendance at meetings
  • Annual publication of energy use and savings /individual reduction plans publicly available
  • Number of energy leaders sharing data
Create a local energy award and/or submit nominations for existing energy awards
  • Otago Chamber of Commerce
  • Level of sponsorship secured
  • Number of nominations
  • Number of businesses recognised for energy good practice (similar to the tourism Qualmark Enviro Awards)
Energy leaders commit to profiling and promoting their own, and Dunedin’s energy actions, good practice and innovation through their networks or the media
  • Dunedin City Council
  • Number of media stories related to energy work associated with accord participants
Support (from expertise to financial) other Energy Plan 1.0 actions and other energy initiatives
  • Dunedin City Council
  • Number of energy leaders actively involved in other Energy Plan 1.0 actions
  • Funding contributed

Energy Plan Energy Leaders

Energy Link has been around since 1996, coming out of a need to understand the changing electricity market, which underwent a major change at that time, including deregulation and increasing competition. Our business is now about a deep understanding of the electricity market, its participants and market data. We’ve got an enviable reputation in our niche throughout New Zealand and overseas. We’re not a big business but people do take notice when we have something to say about the power market and our clients are drawn from government and the country’s blue chip companies. And we see growth opportunities. Right now we’re developing a new web-based self-service model for large electricity consumers to find their best possible energy prices. One of the great things about Dunedin is that we’ve built expertise on work originally undertaken at the university which accelerates the business building process. I see collaboration with the university building new careers with Energy Link just as it did for me.”GREG SISE | MANAGING DIRECTOR, ENERGY LINK

Photo by Stefan Mutch

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