New Zealand Considers Regulatory Overhaul to Accelerate Natural Hydrogen Development

New Zealand is officially kicking off a consultation to figure out how it should regulate the development of natural and orange hydrogen—and the goal is pretty clear: make the rules easy to understand and give investors the confidence to get involved. The process is being led by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), and they’re weighing three key options to move things forward.

Three paths to a hydrogen framework

So, what’s on the table? One idea is dropping hydrogen under the current Crown Minerals Act, which already handles things like oil, gas, and minerals. Another route would be to leave hydrogen out of that altogether and have it managed under the existing RMA (Resource Management Act). The third option? Go all in and create a brand-new set of laws tailored specifically for hydrogen. Each path could shape how fast and smoothly hydrogen production gets off the ground.

Why hydrogen, and why now?

This whole move is part of New Zealand’s broader push toward industrial decarbonization and improving energy security. A recent breakthrough in discovering commercially viable natural hydrogen—right under our feet—means the country could be sitting on a game-changing source of clean, sustainable energy. Then there’s orange hydrogen, another promising option that captures carbon emissions during production, helping make the process even cleaner.

Getting involved—what’s next?

The proposals are linked to New Zealand’s Hydrogen Action Plan, and the government is keen to hear what people think. Public feedback is open now through July 4, 2025, so there’s plenty of time to weigh in. The decisions made from this process won’t just shape local policies – they’ll likely influence how we develop our hydrogen infrastructure, manage land-use rights, and even how we position ourselves in the future as a clean energy exporter on the global stage.