VZCZCXRO4064
RR RUEHAST RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHWL #0054/01 0580317
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 270317Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5770
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 5459
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0836
RUEHSV/AMEMBASSY SUVA 0851
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0219
RUEHNZ/AMCONSUL AUCKLAND 1923
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 0279
RUEHZN/EST COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 WELLINGTON 000054 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/ANP, EEB, OES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG SENV TRGY KGHG PREL NZ UK
 
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND AND UNITED KINGDOM COLLABORATE ON RENEWABLE 
ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
 
WELLINGTON 00000054  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  In February, the British High Commission (BHC) in 
New Zealand and the NZ Ministry of Science, Research and Technology 
(MoRST), organized a visit to New Zealand by a party of UK energy 
specialists.  The purpose of the visit, funded the UK Foreign and 
Commonwealth Office (FCO), was to develop bilateral collaboration 
between the UK and NZ in research and development of wind and ocean 
wave/tidal energy resources.  To help coordinate this event, the BHC 
created the position of Science and Innovation Promoter in mid-2007 
to promote links between UK and NZ research and technology 
institutions.  Collaboration potential emerged in several areas, 
including both research and commercial development projects.  In 
March, a follow up meeting is planned in Auckland to discuss UK-NZ 
collaboration on biofuel research and development initiatives.  Post 
is conveying this information to keep interested parties apprised of 
renewable energy developments in New Zealand and the UK as we 
consider new bilateral initiatives in this area.  End Summary. 
 
New Zealand and UK Energy Experts Meet 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) On February 2-6, eleven visiting UK energy specialists met 
with representatives from NZ's academic, government and energy 
production sectors.  In total, nearly 100 people attended the 
four-day conference, which included field site visits, research 
laboratory tours, as well as seminars and presentations.  Their 
announced objectives included: 
 
-- bringing together research providers and users in key areas of 
strategic importance to both countries; 
 
-- taking advantage of opposite NZ and UK seasons (but similar 
weather patterns) to accelerate research; 
 
-- enhancing joint climate change and energy security goals (by 
promoting a rapid transition to a sustainable low carbon, global 
economy and access to clean, secure and affordable energy supplies); 
 
 
-- identifying and stimulating commercial interaction between the UK 
and NZ in the areas of wind and water energy supply technologies, 
carbon sequestration, and energy efficiency in commercial and 
private usage; and 
 
-- taking advantage of NZ's positive role within the region and 
international fora to influence coherent climate change mitigation 
policies. 
 
¶3.  (U) UK participants included representatives from Garrad Hassan, 
Progressive Energy, Eureka Heat Recovery, Ocean Power Technologies, 
Glasgow Caledonian, Focus Offshore, Isis Innovation/Oxford, and 
Thermo-d.demon.  Several academics in the field of renewable energy 
from Oxford, Edinburgh University, and Nottingham University also 
participated.  The UK Renewable Energy Association advertised and 
organized the UK participation, while the New Zealand Energy 
Federation arranged the meetings and program in New Zealand. 
Assisting in New Zealand to organize the program and meeting 
schedule were the Aotearoa Wave and Tidal Energy Association and 
Meridian Energy.  The New Zealand academic communities from 
Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch also participated, as did a 
number of NZ companies and energy associations. 
 
¶4.  (U) While no agreements were finalized during the meeting, the 
discussions did result in several outcomes: 
 
-- The possible installation of three ocean energy demonstration 
projects, to include a wave generator unit and a tidal generator 
unit.  Both Isis Innovation/Oxford and Ocean Power Technologies 
discussed the possible deployment of demonstration units for tidal 
power technology in New Zealand.  Ocean Navitas UK (represented by 
Smart Energy Ltd) proposed the establishment of a marine wave 
generator in the next two years in collaboration with a number of NZ 
entities. 
 
-- The transfer of technical information relating to ocean energy 
devices; 
 
-- New Zealand collaboration in Smart (electricity) Meter technology 
now being commercialized by an Oxford University spin-off company 
(ISE); and 
 
-- Collaboration in several areas of energy research and energy 
 
WELLINGTON 00000054  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
efficiency. 
 
¶5.  (U) The parties announced their intent to follow up with written 
agreements to include provisions governing IP discovery and use, and 
sales or purchase of IP or other products resulting from the 
relationship.  Further discussions between the UK and NZ will occur 
on March 9-12 in Auckland, when the parties will focus on biofuel 
energy sources. 
 
¶6.  (U) Comment: Post is conveying this information to keep 
interested parties apprised of renewable energy developments in New 
Zealand and the UK as we consider new bilateral initiatives in this 
area.  End Comment. 
 
 
KEEGAN