Energy Transition for Your Business

For businesses, this step is especially important. The commercial energy landscape is more complex than the residential one: tariff structures, network charges, demand peaks, process requirements, and capital investment decisions all interact.

An independent energy advisor — one who is not affiliated with any particular technology vendor or retailer — can save you significant time and money by helping you: 

• Identify the highest-impact opportunities in your specific operation 
• Build a business case for investment that your board or bank can understand 
• Navigate funding applications (see Step 4) 
• Avoid common pitfalls, such as over-sizing solar without considering demand profiles 

Ask the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) for a list of accredited energy auditors, or look for advisors with NZPEC or equivalent qualifications. Unison also works with a network of engineering consultants for larger connection projects and can point you in the right direction. 

Before you can make good decisions, you need to know where you stand. A proper energy baseline assessment covers: 

• Total energy consumption by fuel type (electricity, gas, LPG, diesel, coal) 
• Energy cost breakdown — which processes or areas consume the most? 
• Peak demand profile — when does your electricity draw peak, and what drives it? 
• Exposure analysis — how exposed are you to gas supply uncertainty or price rises? 
• Emissions inventory — if sustainability reporting is relevant to your stakeholders

This assessment becomes the foundation for all subsequent decisions. Without it, you're guessing.

Gas supply context: New Zealand's natural gas supply has declined significantly in recent years, with some forecasts suggesting further reductions. If your business relies on gas for process heat or other operations, understanding your exposure and planning a transition timeline is increasingly urgent — regardless of regulatory settings.

Energy transition projects rarely happen in isolation. They involve your electricity retailer, your network company (Unison), equipment suppliers, installers, and potentially regulators. Engaging these parties early — before you commit to a design or sign a contract — can save months of delay.

Why talk to Unison early? 

• If you plan to significantly increase your electricity demand (e.g. switching large process heat loads from gas to electricity), yaour existing network connection may need to be assessed and potentially upgraded 
• Connection assessments and upgrades take time — sometimes months. Starting the conversation early means your equipment is ready to go when your infrastructure is 
• Unison can give you indicative information about network capacity in your area to inform your planning 
• We work with your engineering consultant to understand your requirements and ensure network compatibility

A real example from our region: Woolworks in Hawke's Bay recently converted a gas-powered industrial boiler to electric supply as part of their decarbonisation journey. Engaging with Unison early in that planning process meant the connection upgrade was sequenced to align with their project timeline — avoiding costly delays.

Who else to engage early: 

• Your electricity retailer — they can advise on commercial tariffs and whether time-of-use pricing might suit your operation 
• EECA — they can advise on funding eligibility before you finalise your project design 
• Qualified engineers and energy consultants — to review designs before commissioning

EECA (the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) provides co-funding and support for businesses investing in energy efficiency and fuel switching. This is one of the most underutilised resources available to New Zealand businesses. 

Key programmes to investigate: 

• EECA Business co-funding: available for energy audits, feasibility studies, and capital projects. Visit eecabusiness.govt.nz for current funding rounds and eligibility criteria 
• Energy Transition Acceleration (ETA) support: for larger industrial transitions 
• GenLess tools for business: benchmarking and decision-support tools 
• Funding availability and eligibility rules change over time. Always check directly with EECA for the most current information before designing your project around a particular funding assumption. 

Important: Many EECA funding applications require independent energy audit reports as supporting documentation. This is another reason to get an advisor involved early (Step 1).

Assessing your options and developing a staged approach allows you to manage capital expenditure, learn from early investments, and adapt as technology and prices evolve. Your plan should: 

• Prioritise efficiency measures first — these often have the fastest payback and reduce the size of any generation or switching investment needed 
• Sequence fuel switching to align with natural asset replacement cycles (e.g. replace a gas boiler when it reaches end of life, not before) 
• Stage network upgrades in line with your operational timeline — discuss this sequencing with Unison 
• Include a review mechanism — energy markets, technology costs, and funding availability change. Build in annual reviews 

For larger businesses, Unison can work alongside you through a dedicated engagement to understand your long-term growth plans and jointly assess the network investment needed to support your future requirements. This is especially beneficial for industrial customers considering major electrification projects.