Efficient Demand Flexibility – EECA’s initiative to encourage and deliver distributed flexibility initiatives in the New Zealand Energy System

EECA seeks to establish a funding partnership with industry, called the Efficient Demand Flexibility initiative, to enable distributed flexibility in commercial and industrial sectors by supporting deployment of flexibility-enabling technologies behind the meter, such as battery storage, thermal storage, and interruptible load management.

This programme relates to the provision of unsecured…

EECA seeks to establish a funding partnership with industry, called the Efficient Demand Flexibility initiative, to enable distributed flexibility in commercial and industrial sectors by supporting deployment of flexibility-enabling technologies behind the meter, such as battery storage, thermal storage, and interruptible load management.

This programme relates to the provision of unsecured concessionary loans to fund energy efficiency projects, it aligns with EECA’s mission by ensuring that financial support is directed towards projects that deliver measurable results and long-term benefits.
By working with businesses across diverse sectors, we aim to de-risk energy-related investments, support the adoption of innovative solutions, and drive meaningful reductions in energy demand.

To be eligible, an application must be submitted by intermediaries operating between consumers/energy grid/energy market to install and fully manage energy storage equipment behind their client’s meter to provide lower cost energy at peak times, participate in the wholesale electricity Transpower load management initiatives or sell the capacity directly to an electricity distribution business (EDB) on their client’s behalf trading market to trade electricity.

Applicants can apply under this Efficient Demand Flexibility RFP for zero-interest, unsecured loans from EECA of up to a maximum of 70% of total eligible Project costs to install industrial flexibility equipment on their customer sites and manage them on their behalf.

A supplier briefing will be held on 16 October 2025 at 11:00AM details are provided in the published Addendum 1