Advocacy/Submissions

Use the links below to read statements and submissions relevant to wood energy.  Submissions may be as part of consultation on policy development or be briefings to Government Ministers or their agencies.

Position statements

Submissions / Consultations

  • Extracting value from forestry and wood processing residues via bioenergy and biofuels - a Bioenergy Association post-election briefing to incoming Minister of Forestry (Hon Todd McClay) on 29 Nov 2023.  More here
  • NZ Wood industries briefing to incoming Minister - The Forest and Wood Processing Pan Sector Forum, which includes Bioenergy Association, has provided the Minister of Forestry, Hon Tod McLay, with a briefing on the wood industries sector and how it contributes to the wealth of the New Zealand economy. The briefing also includes actions which the sector wishes to work with Government on, so that there is increased value from wood. More here
  • Submission for National direction for plantation and exotic carbon afforestation (22 November 2022) - In its submission the Association was very critical of the proposals to create carbon forests with different rules than other plantation forests. The association view is that all plantation forests should be sustainably managed under the same rules. More here.
  • The draft Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan (Sept 2022) - The Bioenergy Association has provided a strong supporting submission on the draft Forestry and Wood Processing Industry Transformation Plan. The draft plan sets a vision for how New Zealand can gain additional value from forestry and land use by transformation to a bioeconomy based on wood. The Plan builds on the existing industry strengths for producing bioproducts including bioenergy and biofuels.  More here
  • Managing exotic forestry incentives (April 2022) - Work by the Bioenergy Association has shown that with supportive programmes to incentivise plantation forest owners and farmers to optimise the integration of farm forestry (shelterbelts, erosion control, woodlots, managed riparian plantings etc.) that there can be adequate quantities of biomass available to replace fossil fuels for energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. More here
  • Process heat in New Zealand: Opportunities and barrier to lowering emissions (February 2019) - The Bioenergy Association welcomes the work being undertaken by MBIE and EECA with regard to process heat. The Association agrees that process heat is an area where transition from use of coal and natural gas can provide significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2050. More here
  • Proposed revised Air Quality Control Bylaw (June 2017) - The Bioenergy Association supports retaining the current bylaw with some amendment.  The Bioenergy Association takes seriously the necessity to reduce emissions to air and supports the adoption of controllable renewable energy based heating that allows achievement of high quality air emission standards.  More here
  • Oral submission in support of ratification of the Paris Climate Change Agreement (Sept 2016) - The world is already and naturally moving to an era when the economy can no longer be dependent on petroleum and coal. Transition to a lower-carbon economy provides economic, employment, environmental and market opportunities via bioenergy. These are areas where NZ can be a world leader as we already have a comparative advantage in renewable natural resources to achieve these benefits.  More here
  • NZETS Review 2015/16 consultation (Feb 2016) - A premise of the Bioenergy Association submission is that with good suite of Government policies reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can provide opportunities for economic growth, employment and achievement of environmental outcomes and not an economic impost on the community.  More here