Common quality and wholesale market arrangements for BESS and BESS-hybrids
Consultation
BESS‑hybrid systems combine battery energy storage systems (BESS) with generation assets (such as wind or solar) at a single connection point. This allows electricity to be stored, managed, and dispatched more flexibly. BESSs and BESS‑hybrid stations will play an increasingly important role in managing variable and intermittent generation. To unlock these benefits, regulatory settings for BESSs and BESS-hybrids must be fit for purpose.
What we would like feedback on
We are seeking feedback on issues and options in three areas:
- Part 8 common quality requirements for BESS-hybrid stations and idle BESS
- Part 8 common quality requirements for voltage support obligations for transmission-connected generation, including potential to move the point of compliance to the network connection point
- Part 13 trading arrangements for BESS-hybrid stations
Addressing the issues identified in the paper is expected to improve the reliability of our power system and support lower electricity costs for consumers. This will be achieved by enabling efficient use of BESS and BESS-hybrid systems and removing barriers to investment.
A Code amendment consultation paper following the issues and options paper will be published later in 2026.
We welcome your feedback by 5pm, 30 June 2026.
Make a submission
We welcome submissions in Microsoft Word in the format shown in Appendix E to OperationsConsult@ea.govt.nz by 5pm, 30 June 2026 with 'Issues and options paper – BESS and BESS-hybrids’ in the subject line.
If you cannot send your submission electronically, please contact OperationsConsult@ea.govt.nz or call 04 460 8860 to discuss alternative arrangements.
We will publish all submissions. If you consider we should not publish any part of your submission, please:
- indicate which part should not be published and explain why, and
- provide a version of your submission the Authority can publish (if we agree not to publish your full submission).
All submissions, including any parts the Authority does not publish, can be requested under the Official Information Act 1982.
This paper accompanies the Wholesale market arrangements for battery energy storage systems - Code amendment consultation. We encourage interested parties to consider both papers when providing their feedback.