Consumers and businesses are being offered an opportunity to test the value of using more than one electricity supplier or service at a time.
Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
The pilot run by the Taranaki-based National New Energy Development Centre Ara Ake is designed to offer businesses and consumers more choice and flexibility in managing their electricity.
Multiple trading relationships (MTR) are not currently allowed under the Electricity Industry Participation Code.
"Making it easier for consumers to have multiple trading relationships is likely to have benefits, such as more choice for consumers, greater competition and innovation, and a more reliable electricity supply," Electricity Authority general manager market policy Andrew Doube said.
The trial was designed to find out whether multiple relationships would lead to a greater uptake of distributed energy resources - small scale local, renewable generation - which supported low emission goals.
Ara Ake chief executive Cristiano Marantes said participation was voluntary with an advisory group made up of members from MBIE, Electricity Authority, Electricity Network Association, Electricity Retailers Association NZ, Sustainable Energy Associations NZ and Consumer NZ taking part.
"Overall, we are hoping to see more innovative consumer-centric electricity services and a greater uptake of distributed energy resources," Marentes said.
Interested organisations and individuals could register their interest until April 2022, with the operational phase of the pilot expected to commence in late 2021 and until April 2023.
[www.araake.co.nz/projects/mtr Visit Ara Ake] for more information.