Launched in July 2020, Ara Ake is the new national centre focused on future energy development.
Ara Ake’s origins came from Taranaki’s Tapuae Roa Strategy, the economic development strategy adopted by the region in 2017; and the Taranaki 2050 Roadmap, a co-design strategy that was developed in 2019, providing the big picture plan for Taranaki’s journey to a low emissions economy.
Three years in the planning, in early 2019 Venture Taranaki completed the initial business case to establish the (then titled) National New Energy Development Centre (NNEDC).
In May 2019, they gained Central Government’s backing when ongoing government funding was announced. Venture Taranaki was responsible for the NNEDC establishment project which commenced in September 2019. During its establishment, the name Ara Ake was conceived to replace the project name.