NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, No. 51

14 APRIL 2011

B ACKNOWLEDGING THE PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF ACHIEVING NEW ZEALAND’S TARGET FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES

POLICY B

Decision-makers shall have particular regard to the following matters:

(a) Maintenance of the generation output of existing renewable electricity generation activities can require protection of the assets, operational capacity and continued availability of the renewable energy resource; and

(b) even minor reductions in the generation output of existing renewable electricity generation activities can cumulatively have significant adverse effects on national, regional and local renewable electricity generation output; and

(c) meeting or exceeding the New Zealand Government’s national target for the generation of electricity from renewable resources will require the significant development of renewable electricity generation activities.

C ACKNOWLEDGING THE PRACTICAL CONSTRAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADING OF NEW AND EXISTING RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY GENERATION ACTIVITIES

POLICY C1

Decision-makers shall have particular regard to the following matters:

(a) The need to locate the renewable electricity generation activity where the renewable energy resource is available;

(b) logistical or technical practicalities associated with developing, upgrading, operating or maintaining the renewable electricity generation activity;

(c) the location of existing structures and infrastructure including, but not limited to, roads, navigation and telecommunication structures and facilities, the distribution network and the national grid in relation to the renewable electricity generation activity, and the need to connect renewable electricity generation activity to the national grid;

(d) designing measures which allow operational requirements to complement and provide for mitigation opportunities; and

(e) adaptive management measures.

POLICY C2

When considering any residual environmental effects of renewable electricity generation activities that cannot be avoided, remedied or mitigated, decision-makers shall have regard to offsetting measures or environmental compensation including measures or compensation which benefit the local environment and community affected.

D MANAGING REVERSE SENSITIVITY EFFECTS ON RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY GENERATION ACTIVITIES

POLICY D

Decision-makers shall, to the extent reasonably possible, manage activities to avoid reverse sensitivity effects on consented and on existing renewable electricity generation activities.

E INCORPORATING PROVISIONS FOR RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY GENERATION ACTIVITIES INTO REGIONAL POLICY STATEMENTS AND REGIONAL AND DISTRICT PLANS

E1 SOLAR, BIOMASS, TIDAL, WAVE AND OCEAN CURRENT RESOURCES

POLICY E1

Regional policy statements and regional and district plans shall include objectives, policies and methods (including rules within plans) to provide for the development, operation, maintenance, and upgrading of new and existing renewable electricity generation activities using solar, biomass, tidal, wave and ocean current energy resources to the extent applicable to the region or district.

E2 HYDRO-ELECTRICITY RESOURCES

POLICY E2

Regional policy statements and regional and district plans shall include objectives, policies, and methods (including rules within plans) to provide for the development, operation, maintenance, and upgrading of new and existing hydro-electricity generation activities to the extent applicable to the region or district.

E3 WIND RESOURCES

POLICY E3

Regional policy statements and regional and district plans shall include objectives, policies, and methods (including rules within plans) to provide for the development, operation, maintenance and upgrading of new and existing wind energy generation activities to the extent applicable to the region or district.

E4 GEOTHERMAL RESOURCES

POLICY E4

Regional policy statements and regional and district plans shall include objectives, policies, and methods (including rules within plans) to provide for the development, operation, maintenance, and upgrading of new and existing electricity generation activities using geothermal resources to the extent applicable to the region or district.