Thank you, Taranaki
A message to Ara Ake's people and partners of Taranaki - we thank you for your support.
Following a change to Crown funding priorities in Budget 2026, MBIE funding for Ara Ake will cease on 30 June 2026. As we navigate the next steps, we want to take a moment to reflect on the community that made this work possible from the very beginning.
Six years ago, Ara Ake, New Zealand's energy innovation centre, was established in Taranaki with an ambitious purpose: to accelerate energy innovation and help shape a more sustainable, resilient and equitable energy future for Aotearoa New Zealand.
From day one, this region was more than our home base. Taranaki gave Ara Ake its foundation as a community that understood the energy transition, that had lived alongside the industry for generations, and that was ready to imagine what comes next.
We have been fortunate to work alongside Taranaki partners who brought that spirit to life, and we’d like to highlight a few partners and projects. Alongside Venture Taranaki, we hosted the Offshore Renewable Energy Forum; with WISE Charitable Trust and Taranaki Chamber of Commerce, the Reducing Energy Hardship Conference (Energy Resilience and Affordability Conference); and with Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, the National Māori Energy Summit. Through our monthly Taranaki Energy Updates, we had local voices join national conversations. Some of these conferences have now run for four to five years, and have significantly changed the landscape in their topics.
On the ground in Taranaki, our work spanned a wide range of projects. We began exploring the region's geothermal potential through the Geoheat Discovery Challenge, investigating suspended and shut-in petroleum wells for heat use. Modelling was commissioned for the region, bringing in stakeholders from Scion to assess Taranaki bioenergy potential. Powerco was an integral part of a low voltage network visibility pilot we set up, which worked to solve common issues that New Zealand EDBs face. We were privileged to help bring smart heating and cooling technology into a Hāwera school, and worked alongside Community Energy Taranaki and Powerco to deliver the Community Energy Activator, which supported nine local groups to develop their own community energy projects, from solar initiatives to iwi-led housing.
Beyond the important technical work, we were proud to be part of the community. Sponsoring and judging EVOlocity, WITT scholarships and local primary and secondary STEM fairs was important to inspire and motivate the young people who will work in this field in the future.
Though we haven’t mentioned them all, thank you to the many individuals and organisations who showed up, contributed ideas, opened doors and backed the kaupapa. Your support made this work possible.
For more Ara Ake projects, see the Impact Report 2024 and 2025.