This Government bill establishes a legislative regime governing the construction, operation, and decommissioning of offshore renewable energy developments. It was enacted as the Offshore Renewable Energy Act 2026.
Parliament advanced this bill under urgency (committee of whole house, third reading) — moving it through faster than usual, with less time than normal for public submissions.
The Offshore Renewable Energy Bill establishes New Zealand's first dedicated regulatory framework for building renewable energy projects at sea, principally offshore wind farms, within the country's waters. It creates a two-stage permit system. A feasibility permit would give a developer the exclusive right to investigate and survey a defined offshore area to see whether a project stacks up, while a commercial permit would authorise the actual construction and operation of the generating infrastructure. The bill also sets rules around matters such as the obligations of permit-holders and the eventual decommissioning of structures. Because New Zealand has had no specific law for this activity, the framework is intended to give developers and investors the certainty they need to commit to large, long-term projects. It affects energy developers and investors, other users of the sea such as fishers, and coastal communities and iwi near proposed sites.
This is a Government bill advanced through the energy portfolio. The argument for it is that New Zealand has a strong offshore wind resource but, without a legal regime, investors have had no clear pathway or certainty, deterring the billions of dollars such projects require; a clear framework supports new electricity generation, the electrification of the economy, and renewable-energy goals. The argument against centres on environmental and coastal concerns: potential effects on marine ecosystems, seabirds and fisheries, questions about how other sea users and iwi interests are protected, and debate over whether the permitting and environmental safeguards are rigorous enough. Some also raise the cost and complexity of offshore wind compared with onshore alternatives.
See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.