New Zealand Decarbonization Challenge

to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and a fully carbon-neutral economy by 2050. There are twenty-nine EDBs across New Zealand who are directly impacted by the inherent uncertainty of this journey, and each is a key enabler of this transition.

EDBs face the challenge of investing, managing, and operating their networks to support New Zealand towards these sustainability goals, while continuing to deliver a fit-for-purpose, safe, secure, and, very importantly, equitable electricity distribution service.

With the drive to decarbonize industrial heat, the rapid increase in distributed energy resources (DER), and the untapped potential of future flexibility services, EDBs are seeking solutions to support the optimization of network investment and the de-risking of network asset management. They are specifically seeking pilot-ready technologies that can:

• Forecast, visualize, and integrate network impact of decarbonization demand growth, DERs, and flexibility services into asset management, planning, and operations
• Expedite DER connection process, particularly network impact assessment
• Optimize visibility, management, and forecasting of peak demand and network constraints

Additionally, it is key that the energy transition doesn’t leave anyone behind, especially those who are already experiencing energy hardship and would benefit the most from low-emission solutions.  As such, Ara Ake and the participating EDBs are also seeking solutions that can provide accessible and affordable options to allow low- and moderate-income households to actively participate in the benefits of the energy transition.

For additional details on New Zealand’s energy transition challenges, as well as an overview of its electricity sector, click here.

At minimum, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Have an operating prototype with evidence to support its successful demonstration within an electricity utility or similar organization
• Be able to demonstrate direct solution applicability to the problem and evidence the return on investment for EDBs
• Be ready to deploy a pilot with one or more New Zealand EDBs
• Be a registered company
• Have at least two full-time employees
• Where applicable, be willing to work with a community-based organization to deploy your technology leveraging Elemental’s Square Partnerships Model. Ara Ake can support the facilitation of the partnership between the innovator and the community-based organization.

Ara Ake is not seeking project developers selling third-party products, companies without an operating prototype, consulting firms, marketing or PR agencies, or acquired startups.

• Funding will be distributed directly to the winning startup(s) in two milestones: 50% upon execution of a commercial agreement between at least one EDB and your company and 50% upon successful pilot project completion.
• Travel arrangements to attend the live pitch event in New Plymouth, New Zealand will be the responsibility of the applicant, however, Ara Ake will subsidize travel and accommodation costs of up to USD5,000 per finalist organization, to be reimbursed at the conclusion of the pitch event.
• This challenge is being hosted by Elemental Excelerator in collaboration with Ara Ake and is unrelated to Elemental’s Cohort 12 application process. If you are interested in applying to Cohort 12, please let us know here!

Please contact AraAkeChallenge@elementalimpact.com.