Waikato Regional Energy Strategy
The Waikato region launched the country’s first regional energy strategy in 2009, which has now been updated to reflect today’s energy landscape. It is underpinned by Council’s strategic direction, the Waikato Regional Energy Inventory, modelling and economic analysis, a technical support document, and iwi perspectives.
Waikato plays a central role in New Zealand’s energy future. The region is home to 75 percent of the country’s high-temperature geothermal resources, two major hydro schemes, strong solar and wind potential, and the Huntly Power Station—the nation’s largest thermal generator. Waikato consistently produces more than one-third of New Zealand’s electricity supply, with just over half generated from local renewable sources.
While Waikato Regional Council does not hold all the levers required to deliver the necessary energy transition, it can play a critical enabling role. This includes exercising its statutory responsibilities, regional planning functions, and advocacy for sustainable economic development. In the absence of a national energy strategy, strong regional leadership is increasingly essential.
About this strategy
The Waikato Regional Energy Strategy provides a roadmap to transition the region to a low-emissions, affordable, and resilient energy system. The need for action is clear: energy costs are rising, supply is becoming less certain, and climate change is already affecting communities and businesses across the region.
The strategy’s vision is: Waikato’s energy system – resilient, affordable and sustainable. Powering Waikato’s growth and New Zealand’s clean energy transition.
Waikato’s path to this future will not follow a single pathway. It will be shaped by the decisions made today, alongside global trends, government policy, and technological advances. To explore what the future could look like, a range of future scenarios were modelled. The analysis shows that a proactive and coordinated transition delivers the best results – lower long-term costs, deeper emissions reductions, stronger economic performance, and greater resilience.
This transition will be driven by increased electrification and expanded use of geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass energy, alongside emerging technologies. These will be supported by hydro generation and battery storage for firming.
The transition presents significant growth and development opportunities for the Waikato. It can create high-quality jobs, strengthen the regional economy, and improve long-term resilience. There is substantial potential to decarbonise industry by shifting away from fossil fuels. Three areas stand out as potential manufacturing hubs based upon renewable energy – Wairakei/Taupō, Tokoroa, and Huntly – each offering strong resource potential, a skilled workforce, and well-developed infrastructure to support large-scale, regionally aligned development.
Coordinated regional action is essential. A central action of this strategy is to establish a regional energy forum, bringing together iwi, industry, government, infrastructure providers, and major energy users to drive implementation. Through collective action and shared commitment, this strategy marks not an endpoint, but the beginning of a sustained transition – one in which everyone has a role to play.
