Southland: Your Guide to Official Business Electrification Resources

The global shift towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy presents significant opportunities for businesses in Southland, New Zealand. Electrifying operations is a key strategy to reduce emissions, cut operational costs, and enhance brand reputation. For Southland enterprises ready to embrace a cleaner energy future, a wealth of official support and resources is available. This guide will help you navigate the landscape of assistance to power up your business efficiently and sustainably.

Why Electrify Your Southland Business?

Transitioning to electric technologies isn't just an environmental choice; it's a smart business decision. Key benefits include:

• Significant Cost Savings: Electricity is often cheaper per unit of energy than fossil fuels, especially for transport and process heat. Electric vehicles (EVs) also boast lower maintenance costs due to fewer moving parts.
• Reduced Emissions Footprint: Lowering your carbon footprint contributes to New Zealand's climate goals and meets growing consumer and investor demand for sustainable practices. With Southland's increasing renewable electricity generation, going electric means cleaner energy.
• Enhanced Brand & Competitiveness: Demonstrating environmental responsibility can strengthen your brand image, attract eco-conscious customers, and improve your appeal to sustainably-minded employees.
• Future-Proofing Operations: As carbon pricing mechanisms evolve and regulations tighten, early adoption of electric technologies can safeguard your business against future cost escalations and ensure long-term viability.
• Contributing to Regional Goals: Aligning with Southland's regional development and sustainability aspirations can foster community support and create collaborative opportunities.

National Support: EECA - Your Primary Partner

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is the New Zealand government agency leading the charge in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy. EECA offers a comprehensive suite of programmes, co-funding opportunities, and expert advice tailored for businesses of all sizes.

• Support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): EECA provides resources to help SMEs understand their energy use, identify savings opportunities, and implement energy-efficient measures. This can include co-funding for energy audits, which provide a clear roadmap for improvements.
• Support for Large Energy Users: For businesses with significant energy needs, particularly in process heat (which often relies on coal or gas), EECA offers substantial support. This includes co-funding for feasibility studies to explore switching to lower-emission alternatives like electricity or biomass, and support for implementing these large-scale decarbonisation projects. The Energy Transition Accelerator programme can help businesses develop comprehensive plans for their decarbonisation journey.
• Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF): If your business operates a vehicle fleet, the Low Emission Transport Fund is a crucial resource. This fund provides co-funding to businesses and organisations to transition to EVs, install EV charging infrastructure, and adopt other innovative low-emission transport technologies. Keep an eye on the EECA website for specific funding rounds and eligibility criteria.
• Technology Demonstration Fund: For businesses looking to adopt innovative, leading-edge clean energy technologies that are not yet widely adopted in New Zealand, this fund can provide co-funding to help de-risk the investment and showcase its potential.
• Sector-Specific Pathways: EECA has developed tailored decarbonisation pathways and resources for various sectors (e.g., manufacturing, commercial buildings, wine). These provide specific advice and highlight relevant technologies and case studies for your industry.

Engaging with EECA: The best starting point is the EECA website. It details current funding opportunities, eligibility, application processes, and valuable resources. You can also contact their business team directly for guidance.

Regional Connections: Great South & Local Expertise

Great South, as Southland's regional development agency, plays a vital role in connecting local businesses with national programmes and providing tailored regional support.

• Regional Business Partner (RBP) Network: Great South is part of the RBP Network, meaning they can help you access government funding for capability development, which can include support for developing sustainability or energy management plans.
• Connecting to National Resources: The Great South team can guide you on how to engage with EECA programmes and connect you with other relevant agencies like Callaghan Innovation for research and development support if you're exploring innovative electrification solutions.
• Local Insights and Advisory: Great South understands the unique economic landscape and opportunities within Southland. They can offer business assessments and advice, helping you to build a strong case for electrification projects and navigate any regional specific considerations. They actively promote climate risk assessment and the development of energy transition plans for businesses.
• Facilitating Collaboration: Great South often works to foster collaboration within the region, potentially linking businesses with shared interests or challenges in the energy transition space.

Contacting Great South: Visit the Great South website to learn about their business support services and how they can assist your electrification journey.

Other Key Resources & Financing

Beyond EECA and Great South, several other avenues of support exist:

• Gen Less Website (genless.govt.nz): This is EECA’s public-facing platform, packed with practical information, tools, and calculators. Resources like the "Total Cost of Ownership" calculator for EVs can help you make informed investment decisions. It also provides accessible guides on topics like process heat efficiency and choosing electric vehicles.
• Bank Green Loans: Most major New Zealand banks now offer "green loans" or sustainable finance options for businesses. These often come with preferential interest rates or other benefits for investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy (like solar PV), EV fleets, and other decarbonisation projects. Examples include:
• ASB Business Sustainability Loans
• ANZ Business Green Loans
• BNZ Green Business Loans
• Kiwibank Sustainable Business Loans
• Westpac Sustainable Business LoansSpeak to your business banking manager about what they offer.
• Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE): MBIE sets the overarching energy and business policy for New Zealand. Their website and the Business.govt.nz platform provide a wealth of general business information, including regulatory guidance and support tools that can be relevant to your electrification projects.
• Industry Associations: Organisations like the Bioenergy Association of New Zealand can provide specialist advice if you're considering options like biomass for process heat as part of your broader decarbonisation strategy.

Getting Started: Practical Steps for Southland Businesses

Embarking on your electrification journey can seem daunting, but a structured approach makes it manageable:

1. Assess Your Energy Use: Conduct an energy audit (potentially co-funded by EECA) to understand your current energy consumption patterns and identify the biggest areas for improvement.
2. Identify Key Opportunities: Pinpoint where electrification can make the most impact – common areas include process heat, vehicle fleets, and building systems (HVAC, lighting).
3. Develop a Roadmap: Create an energy transition plan or electrification roadmap outlining your goals, timelines, and required investments. Great South or an energy consultant can assist with this.
4. Research Funding: Thoroughly investigate the criteria and application processes for relevant EECA funds and other support mechanisms.
5. Explore Finance: Talk to your bank about green loan options and how they can support your capital investments.
6. Engage Locally: Connect with Great South for regional advice and to leverage their network.

Powering a Sustainable Future for Southland

Electrifying your Southland business is a powerful step towards reducing costs, enhancing your environmental credentials, and future-proofing your operations. With a strong network of official support available at both national and regional levels, there's never been a better time to explore how cleaner energy can drive your business forward. By proactively engaging with these resources, Southland businesses can confidently invest in a more sustainable and prosperous future.