Stakeholder engagement with the Stationary Energy and Industrial Processes sectors under the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme

In mid 2009, a series of industry-specific workshops were held with future participants in the Stationary Energy and Industrial Processes (SEIP) sectors to test and refine the data collection and reporting requirements specified in draft regulations. A further series of workshops is envisaged near the end of 2009 to support the implementation of these sectors of the NZETS.

Workshops Presentations:

A SEIP Implementation Technical Advisory Group (TAG) providing broad spectrum coverage of the industries covered by the SEIP regulations was established to provide advice to officials at the beginning and end of these workshops.

On 20 May 2009, the SEIP Implementation TAG met with officials at the Ministry for the Environment to provide advice on the structure and content of these industry-specific workshops to test and refine reporting processes with participants. This advice informed the timetable and agenda (148KB) for these workshops. The SEIPI TAG also expressed interest in receiving further information on the basis for revised emissions factors and emissions calculation methodologies in the updated package of draft regulations, especially where these diverged from existing practice.

On 22 July 2009, the SEIP Implementation TAG met with officials at the Ministry for the Environment to consider cross-sector issues relating to the draft regulations, review the advice on data retention to be provided in guidance materials, and consider future implementation support.  It was agreed that a number of definitions across the draft SEIP and UEF regulations would be clarified for the final regulations.  Further guidance on the unique emission factor regime will also be provided, including on what is required in a plan for ongoing testing, how long a UEF would remain in force for, and what would constitute a "material change". 

Possibilities for including provisions to allow for accurate reporting of downstream combustion emissions were discussed. This could be an option for opt-in participants.  Further work would be needed to include these provisions for mandatory participants due to the disjuncture between the point of combustion and the point of obligation.  This will be looked at again in the context of the review of the operation of the NZ ETS required under section 160 of the Climate Change Response Act which must be completed by the end of 2011. 

The SEIPI TAG provided advice on the structure and content of workshops to be held after the regulations are gazetted on 1 October.  It is envisaged these workshops will be open to both participants and other affected parties, and provide advice on the whole range of business process issues associated with the NZ ETS.  The workshops might also be an opportunity to consider the impact on the regulations of any amendments to the CCRA planned by the Government following the publication of the special Select Committee report. 

Independent specialists in the energy and industrial processes sectors produced a set of reports that guided the revised regulations. Further explanation can be found in ETS Bulletin No 10.

Key dates

1 January 2010 SEIP regulations come into force
1 October 2009 Regulations governing the SEIP sectors’ participation in the ETS must be Gazetted by this date
1 October 2009 Application, registration and emissions return forms, and supporting guidance materials for the SEIP sectors published
August 2009 TAG reviews forms and guidance materials developed with participants and provides advice on future implementation support
June – July 2009 Series of industry-specific workshops for SEIP participants held to test and refine forms and guidance materials
June 2009 Consultation on draft regulations for the SEIP sectors, including for unique emissions factors and removals processes
Mid-May 2009 TAG reviews planned workshop programme and provides advice on the best method of testing reporting processes with participants
May 2009 Workshop invitations sent to SEIP participants

Last updated: 10 July 2009