New Zealand has opened its first round of applications for offshore renewable energy projects , kicking off a new regulatory phase for offshore development in the country.
The call for applications began this Monday , October 19, 2026 , and will remain open until April 19, 2027 , with two initial areas enabled: Offshore Taranaki and Offshore Waikato / South Auckland .
The process is being developed under the Marine Renewable Energy Act 2026 and its associated regulations, which set out the conditions for obtaining feasibility permits and subsequently moving towards commercial permits.
The selected projects may receive a feasibility permit for a period of seven years , during which time the developers will have exclusivity to carry out technical, environmental and commercial studies in the authorized areas.
This permit does not yet constitute an authorization to build or operate a power plant, but it does give the developer a preferential position to analyze the resource, define the infrastructure and prepare the application for a commercial permit before the expiration of the viability period.
Key evaluation criteria will include the project's ability to generate benefits for New Zealand, the coherence of the development plan, the applicant's technical and financial capacity, and the likelihood that it can sustainably comply with current regulations.
The application must also include the required area, the development plan, and a description of the planned feasibility activities.
Before submitting the proposal, the developers must also consult with the relevant iwi groups , the results of which will have to form part of the documentation submitted to the Government.
First step towards future business projects
The opening of the bidding round comes at a time when New Zealand anticipates strong growth in its electricity demand over the next few decades.
According to the projections included in the documentation, electricity consumption could increase between 35.3% and 82% by 2050 , a scenario that opens up space for new generation technologies, including offshore wind.
The Government seeks to ensure that future developments can help meet this demand, while diversifying the energy mix and taking advantage of still underutilized energy resources.
The scheme also requires that the areas requested be related to the size and characteristics of the proposed infrastructure, avoiding excessive reservations of marine space without a technically justified project.
Once the applications have been evaluated, the minister may grant the permit in full, in part, or reject it .
If the project passes that stage and meets the conditions of the feasibility permit, the promoter can subsequently move on to applying for a commercial authorization.
The call thus makes Taranaki and Waikato/South Auckland the first territories where New Zealand will test its new regulatory framework for marine renewable energy.
With permits of up to seven years and a six-month window to submit proposals, the country is beginning to organize the development of an offshore market that until now did not have a specific procedure to move from exploration to commercial projects.