Energy Resilience and Affordability Conference
The Energy Resilience and Affordability Conference, formerly the Reducing Energy Hardship Conference, was held on 8-9 October 2025, Wellington.
Ara Ake, in partnership with Community Energy Network and WISE Charitable Trust, ran the third annual Energy Resilience and Affordability Conference - formerly the Reducing Energy Hardship Conference at Harbourside Venue Centre, 4 Taranaki Street, Wellington on 8–9 October 2025.
About the conference
This two-day event brings together around 200 attendees to explore the state of energy hardship in Aotearoa, highlight key innovations, and share insights from iwi, communities, government representatives, and organisations leading change on the ground.
The conference provides a unique platform for thought leaders, practitioners, policy makers, and innovators to connect and collaborate on building a more equitable, affordable, and resilient energy system.
2025 Theme: Regional solutions for equitable energy
New Zealand’s energy future must reflect the diversity of our people, places and priorities. As we face rising climate, infrastructure, and cost-of-living pressures, regional approaches are becoming key to improving energy resilience - our ability to respond to and recover from disruptions - and affordability, particularly in rural and remote communities.
This year’s conference explored how regional projects, partnerships and innovations can unlock sustainable, community-led energy solutions and promote energy equity across the motu.
Programme
Download and print a PDF version of the programme here
7 October - pre event
- Energy Sector Explainer: an introductory session on Aotearoa New Zealand’s energy sector on 7 October from 1–4pm. The session provided an overview of the key players - including local networks, retailers, engineering service providers, policy leaders-and explain how the wholesale and retail markets interact. Facilitated by Stephen Batstone.
- At Home with HPA: The Home Performance Advisor (HPA) training programme invites you to an informal afternoon session where you'll learn more about the people and organisations behind the kaupapa to 'raise the standard of advice' New Zealanders receive, to improve the performance, health and efficiency of their homes. If you are already HPA trained, we'll run a professional development session early afternoon, just for you.
Day One: Wednesday 8 October
Download and print a PDF version of the programme here
9am: Session One – Setting the theme
MC: Victoria Crockford
- Engaging communities and community resilience from an Australian perspective
Dr Amanda Cahill, Founder and CEO of The Next Economy
- What does regional resilience look like - an Aotearoa perspective
Tammy Tauroa, Co-Chair Ngati Kuri Trust Board
- Panel Discussion: What does regional resilience look like?
A discussion from real-world experiences of building resilient energy systems across diverse regions
Speakers: Dr Amanda Cahill |Tammy Tauroa | Russell Shaw
10:30am - Morning Tea
11:00am: Session Two – Innovation and regional approaches to energy affordability
- Community Energy Activator, the Christchurch experience - insights and learnings
Exploring the pilot programme designed to support community-led energy projects
Hinerangi Pere, Head of Community Energy Services, Orion
- Supa Energy
Luke Blincoe, CEO, Supa Energy
- Flexible energy solutions in rural areas
Matt Strik, COO, Blackcurrent
- Energy resilience in Northland - challenges and opportunities
Lessons shared from a region facing significant infrastructure and resilience challenges.
Russell Shaw, Chief Executive, TOP Energy
- Community Energy Network
Members of CEN share practical solutions and models being implemented in both urban and rural contexts
Phil Squire, Sustainability Trust
Naomi Saluni and Michelle Saluni, Failoa Famili
12:30 - Lunch
1:30pm: Session Three – Energy sector collaboration
- Economists view - energy's role in today's households
Cameron Bagrie, Economist
- Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA)- an update on recent developments
Dr Marcos Pelenur, Chief Executive, EECA
- Electricity Authority (EA)
Sarah Gillies, Chief Executive, EA
- Panel discussion:
Dr Marcos Pelenur | Cameron Bagrie | Sarah Gillies | Page Crahan, General Manager, Tapestry- GoogleX
Facilitator: Briony Bennett, Senior Energy Innovation Manager, Ara Ake
3pm - Afternoon Tea
3:30pm: Session Four – Interactive afternoon
The afternoon will be made up of two topics, which will be followed by table discussions where each table will discuss the theme of the presentation. Session is closed with a group wrap-up and reflections from the tables.
- Session one: Ratepayer Assistance Scheme.
Mike Casey, CEO, Rewiring Aotearoa | Dave Karl, Director of Policy, Research and Data, Rewiring Aotearoa.
- Session two:
- Dr Sea Rotmann, CE, Sustainable Energy Advice
- Jono Barnard, Carl Billington, Electricity Authority
Dr Sea Rotmann, an energy justice researcher focusing on hidden hardship, together with the Electricity Authority, will facilitate a joint kōrero discussing the issue of hard-to-reach energy users and hidden energy hardship, and the importance of collaborating with frontline and community navigators to identify and engage those priority consumers.
5pm - Networking and canapés
Day Two: Thursday 9 October
9am: Session Five – Government corner
- Healthy Homes Initiative
Bronwyn Petrie, Group Manager, Te Whatu Ora | Dr Nevil Pierse - Department of Public Health, Otago University
- Community Energy Network
Members of CEN share practical solutions and models being implemented in both urban and rural contexts
Lee Siegle, Sustainability Options
Paul Scouller, WISE Charitable Trust
- ImpactLab - who we are
Maria Owen, CEO, ImpactLab
- Policy Panel
What are the best policy settings to improve energy resilience and affordability for whānau and communities
Maria Owen, CEO, ImpactLab | Gareth Cartwright, Executive Officer, Community Energy Network | Will Edwards, Head of Māori Partnerships, Ara Ake | Sam Elder, Founder and Director, Climate Navigator
Facilitator: Vic Crockford
10:30am - Morning Tea
11:00am: Session Six – Innovation, Education and Research
- Energy education initiatives
Overview of community- and nationally-led efforts to raise energy literacy and empower households.
Vicki Cowan, Co-manager, Home Performance Advisor programme | Jo Wills, Co-manager, Home Performance Advisor programme
- Research spotlight: HEEP2
Vicki White, Senior Research Analyst, BRANZ
- Advice mapping and education strategy
Sally Blackwell, Co-manager and consultant, Beacon Pathway
- Addressing Energy Poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand
Jodi Gardner, Brian Coote Chair in Private Law at the University of Auckland
12:30pm - Lunch
1:30pm: Session Seven – Roundtable conversations with experts
This afternoon session involves breaking out into multiple expert-facilitated roundtables. Round tables will host 2 x 30 minute discussions.
A selection of tables will host an expert on a specific topic. Participants can join any discussion, with the option to move between tables. Be prepared to move around, change tables and get involved in the discussions!
- Round table one: Community Energy Network and Sustainability Options/ Healthy Home Initiative.
Hosted by Gareth Cartwright, Executive Officer, CEN
- Round table two: Community Energy Activator - a chance to deep-dive into this programme.
Hosted by Jonathan Young, Head of Industry and Government Engagement, Ara Ake
- Round table three: Selwyn Energy Plan - The Waikirikiri Selwyn Energy Plan outlines a model to support integrated, locally-led energy transitions. We will share key components of the model and explore how it compares to work underway in other regions.
Hosted by Sam Elder, Founder and Director, Climate Navigator
- Round table four: Multiple Trading Relationships - peer-to-peer trading, energy sharing, community battery schemes and community virtual power plants may soon be possible under New Zealand electricity regulation. MTR specialist Briony Bennett will discuss the evolution of MTR.
Hosted by Briony Bennett, Senior Energy Innovation Manager, Ara Ake
- Round table five: School Pools to Energy Hubs - A $3.5m Trust programme equipped four East Coast schools with 928 solar panels and 40 batteries (848 kWh), extending swim seasons with heated pools and growing community use, while keeping schools operating for at least ten days during outages and opening a path to local energy sharing.
Hosted by John Campbell, Founder of Our Energy and Sarah Homer, Commercial Manager, Trust Tairāwhiti
- Round table six: Electricity Authority- proposed changes to simplify electricity bills that make it easier for consumers to find the right plan for them and pay less for power.
Hosted by Carolina Rodriguez, Principal policy analyst and Daniel Griffiths, Manager Retail and Consumer policy
- Round table seven: Better Explanations: Effective Communication for Healthy Homes System Change – Wellington Regional Healthy Housing Group (WRHHG) launched a 3-year Communications Action Research project in late 2022. The project manager and two members of the Communications Working Group that has driven the project will share some of what we’ve learned, and how it has changed the way we communicate about the ‘why and how’ of achieving decent homes for all - including examples of high-level messaging and explanations developed as part of the project.
Hosted by Amanda Scothern, Executive Officer, WRHHG; with Ella Morris (Communications Lead, Habitat for Humanity Northern) and Damien McGill (Director – The Healthy Home Coorporation
- Round table eight: Community Navigators
Hosted by Dr Sea Rotmann
- Round table nine: Advice mapping and education strategy
Hosted by Sally Blackwell, Co-manager and consultant, Beacon Pathway
3pm - Wrap up and finish
