Energy trust commended at EECA awards

The Waikato Regional Energy Forum Trust was commended at the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (ECCA)’s 2009 awards in Auckland recently.

The awards celebrate excellence and innovation in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Environment Waikato nominated the trust for its work on the Waikato Regional Energy Strategy, which the regional council had a major role in developing.

The strategy aims to promote energy efficiency, develop the Waikato’s role in maintaining secure energy supplies, facilitate access to renewable and innovative energy sources and raise awareness of the critical role of energy to the regional and national economy.

It grew out of the first Waikato Regional Energy Forum, run by Environment Waikato in March 2007.

The Waikato Forum brings together a range of stakeholders involved with all forms of energy management including electricity generation and efficient use, and the trust was formed as an independent body to develop the strategy based on the group’s ideas and feedback.

Last October at its third forum meeting, the trust released the draft strategy for review by members containing nearly 30 recommendations for policy makers. It attracted 19 submissions and it is currently being finalised ready for its launch in August this year.

The trust was entered in the public sector category of the EECA awards.