ENA Future Networks Forum: Innovation Forum

Dates:

Tuesday 17 March and Wednesday 18 March.

 

Where:

Te Wharewaka, 2 Taranaki Street, Wellington Central.

There is also the option to attend this event online via Teams.

Register

Registrations are now closed.

Agenda: 17 March 2026 

Time	Title/description	Speaker(s)
09:30 - 10:00	Registration and morning tea (30 min)
10:00 - 10:25	Opening karakia and an update on FNF progress (25 min)	FNF Co-Chairs James Tipping GM Market Strategy & Regulation, Vector Andrew Kerr Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, Alpine Energy
10:25 - 10:45	ENA update (20 min)	Richard Le Gros Policy & Innovation Manager, ENA
10:45 - 10:55	EEA update (10 min)	Dr Stuart Johnston Lead Advisor, Engineering & Technical, Electricity Engineers' Association
10:55 – 11:35	Rewiring Aotearoa: the future energy system and the role of networks (40 mins) Rewiring Aotearoa will share a forward-looking perspective on the future energy system New Zealand needs to build toward, and the pathways to get there. The presentation will explore how electrification and emerging technologies are reshaping demands on distribution networks, alongside the key opportunities and challenges of the energy transition. This high-level session will set the scene for the day, focusing on the longer-term direction of travel for EDBs and the wider sector.	Josh Ellison Co-Founder & Research Lead, Rewiring Aotearoa
11:35 - 12:15	DSO direction and flexibility: where is the Electricity Authority heading? (40 mins) This session will provide an update on the Electricity Authority’s work programme for Distribution System Operator (DSO) development and the evolving role of flexibility in the power system. It will reflect on earlier workstreams, what has changed, and where current thinking and policy direction now sits. The presentation will also outline what EDBs should expect as the Authority moves into the next phase of DSO and flexibility development.	Geoff Parr Principal Analyst, Electricity Authority
12:15 - 13:15	Lunch (60 min)
13:15 – 14:05	Enabling vehicle-to-grid at scale: insights from Australia’s major V2G trial (50 mins) This session will focus on flexibility solutions, with a particular emphasis on vehicle-to-grid (V2G/V2X) and the role these technologies could play in supporting future networks. A representative from ARENA will share insights from Australia’s experience to date, including key learnings, opportunities, and challenges in enabling flexibility at scale. The discussion will help inform how similar approaches might evolve within the energy transition in Aotearoa.	Australian Renewable Energy Agency representative
14:05 – 14:45	Farmlands FLEX (40 mins) This session will explore the emerging role of flexibility in the agricultural sector. The presenters will share early insights into the types of flexibility that can be delivered, lessons from any trials or case studies to date, how participation works for farmers, and how they have engaged with EDBs. The discussion will also examine how the needs of agricultural businesses differ from other electricity consumers, and the role local lines companies can play in enabling flexibility opportunities in rural networks.	Matt Strik Founder & COO, Blackcurrent
14:45 – 15:30	Local flexibility platforms in action: demonstrating Localflex (45 mins) This session will demonstrate the OurEnergy Localflex platform and how it enables local flexibility markets in practice. It will highlight what these tools unlock for networks and customers through real-world examples of flexibility services and market participation. The presentation will also outline what EDBs need to do to engage effectively with local flexibility platforms.	Peter Thompson Technology Director, Our Energy
15:30 - 16:00	Stretch break and afternoon tea (30 min)
16:00 - 16:50	Panel: capex deferral RFPs — what have we learned? (50 mins) This panel will reflect on recent capex deferral RFP processes and the key lessons emerging with hindsight. Panellists will discuss how optionality was valued and understood, what worked well, and what proved more challenging in practice. The session will draw out practical insights and considerations for others looking to design or participate in similar approaches.	Panellists: Jon Stone - Commercial Manager, Network & Customer, Aurora Ryno Verster - DSO Programme Director, Vector Tomas Kocar - Principal Regulatory Advisor, Unison Facilitator: Josh Ellison - Co-Founder & Research Lead, Rewiring Aotearoa
16:50 - 17:00	Wrap-up and closing karakia (10 min)	FNF Co-Chairs James Tipping GM Market Strategy & Regulation, Vector Andrew Kerr Chief Customer and Strategy Officer, Alpine Energy
17:00	Event closes and social catch-up begins

Organisations attending day one:

Agenda: 18 March 

Time	Title/description	Speaker(s)
09:00 - 09:30	Registration (tea and coffee on arrival) (30 min)
09:30 – 09:45	Opening karakia and welcome (15 min)	FNF Co-Chairs James Tipping GM Market Strategy & Regulation, Vector Andrew Kerr Chief Customer & Strategy Officer, Alpine Energy
09:45 – 10:05	Reflections on yesterday (20 min) This interactive session invites attendees to reflect on key takeaways from yesterday’s discussions. What’s the one insight, idea, or action you’ll take back to your EDB? Join us as we share reflections, highlight common themes, and surface what’s resonating across the sector.	FNF Co-Chairs
10:05 – 10:45	Transpower system operator strategy refresh (40 min) Transpower is refreshing their system operator strategy and seeking input from industry on what will ultimately be a 10-year forward view. This presentation will provide an overview of the first stage which has focussed on what the industry will look like in 10 years: the themes and trends, and implications for NZ's energy sector and operation of the electricity system.	Katherine Moore Head of Power Systems, Transpower
10:45 – 11:05	Morning tea (20 min)
11:05 – 11:35	FlexForum (30 mins) This session will focus on the questions to be asked as part of a whole-of-system assessment of the pricing and orchestration mechanisms required for a smart, flexible power system that maximises the value of flexible resources to enhance the reliability, resilience and affordability of electricity. FlexForum will provide context for its ongoing focus on filling the holes in the value stack, outline the list of questions which need answering and how they are (or are not) being answered.	Craig Evans FlexForum Secretariat
11:35 – 12:00	EDB Innovation projects – Orion (25 min) Residential Flexibility (Resi-Flex) – Phase 3b This project is trialling real-world residential demand flexibility by co-designing and testing different commercial incentives with retailers and households across Orion’s network. It aims to understand how residential consumers respond to flexibility signals, and which mechanisms are effective, scalable, and fair for supporting future network planning and pricing. Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Demand Flexibility Project – Phase 2 Phase 2 of this project focuses on increasing participation by large commercial and industrial customers in Orion’s existing Control Period Demand (CPD) pricing signal by removing operational, informational, and capability barriers. It aims to test tools, incentives, and new ways of working (such as dashboards and flexibility assessments) to unlock reliable, scalable C&I demand response and inform wider industry practice.	Simon Rycroft Flexibility Development Lead, Orion
12:00 – 12:15	EDB Innovation projects – Horizon (15 min) Horizon Networks plans to run a one-year trial of Rhizome GridADAPT, an AI- and cloud-based tool that models extreme weather risk across its network. The trial is intended to test whether the tool can reliably identify vulnerable assets, forecast reliability and financial risk, and measure the resilience value of different interventions. The learnings will inform better long-term resilience investment decisions and, if adopted successfully, could improve service reliability and network resilience for consumers during extreme weather events.	Feng Wu General Manager Network, Horizon Networks
12:15 – 13:00	EDB Innovation projects – Powerco (45 min) This session will showcase several innovation initiatives underway at Powerco and discuss the experience of applying for the Commerce Commission Innovation and non-traditional solutions allowance (INTSA).	Bernie Coster DSO Programme Principal, Powerco Kewen Kueh Future Networks Engineering Manager, Powerco
12:50 – 13:00	Wrap-up and closing karakia (20 min)	FNF Co-Chairs
13:00 – 14:00	Lunch with the Regulatory Working Group (60 min)

 

Organisations attending day two:

• Electricity Distribution Businesses  
• Electricity Networks Aotearoa  
• Electricity Engineers’ Association 
• Transpower 
• FlexForum