New Zealand’s Future Energy Infrastructure - Lake Onslow Pumped Hydro Scheme

Purpose of the Assignment
New Zealand is undergoing a major transition in its energy system. Large-scale projects such
as pumped hydro, offshore wind, geothermal expansion, grid-scale batteries, hydrogen
production, and transmission upgrades are all being considered. These projectsraise
complex engineering, environmental, cultural, ethical, and social questions.
This assignment requires you to analyse one major proposed energy infrastructure project
in New Zealand and evaluate its professional engineering implications.
Your Task
• For the Lake Onslow Pumped Hydro Scheme which has just come back online as a possible
solution to the country’s energy shortage:
You must complete the following:
1. Project Summary and Engineering Challenge (10 marks)
a) Provide a concise summary of the projectin your own words, including:
• What the project is?
• Why it is being proposed?
• How would it technically operate?
• Who opposes the project and why?
• Key pros and cons for New Zealand in your opinion
b) Identify ONE major engineering or construction challenge, explain in your own words:
• Why it is a challenge?
• How engineers would address it?
• Whether you think in your opinion the proposed solution is adequate?
2. Professional Engineering Roles (10 marks)
Describe in your own words:
a. The roles engineers play in:
• Consenting
• Design
• Construction
• Operation
• Cultural engagement with iwi and hapū
b. Analyse ONE critical engineering aspect/responsibility in detail and explain in your opinion
why engineers must lead it.
3. Environmental and Social Assessment (30 marks)
a. Identify the main environmental and social impacts (positive and negative).
Include iwi perspectives and cultural considerations.
b. Create a comprehensive weighted attribute ranking table scoring each factor before and after
mitigation.
Explain your scoring in detail in your own words and provide a final total score and personal
recommendation on whether the project should proceed based on the analysis.
4. Fast-Track Consenting, Social Licence, and Land Acquisition (20 marks)
Discussin your own words:
• Whether in your opinion Fast Track consenting is a suitable method of approval in NZ, and
give an example of another project currently in the government system that you think
should not be granted Fast Track Consent and why?
• Should Lake Onslow be eligible for fast-track consenting and why in your opinion?
• Whether the project has social licence?
• Whether you support in your opinion the government’s proposed changes to land
acquisition and access laws(Public Works Act) to make it easier to undertake projects on
neighbouring land or land not owned by the project developers? Whether the Public Works
Act should be used for Lake Onslow to acquire the land.
5. Ethical Considerations (10 marks)
• Identify two ethical issues engineers must consider on the project.
Use direct reference to the Engineering NZ Code of Ethical Conduct and discuss in
your own words and opinion how unethical behaviour could impact the project. Give
one example of another project in the world where you think unethical behaviour
during design or construction led to a catastrophic failure. We will share these in a
class discussion.
6. Presentation, Referencing, Structure (20 marks)
• Clear writing that is your own
• Logical structure
• Correct APA referencing
• Use of technical reports, peer-reviewed papers, and official documents for research not just
websites
Presentation, Format, Typo’s, Grammar, Use references (APA) to substantiate your writings(with
references included in the text where they are relevant to information you have researched) - 20
marks.
You can use websites, however please also include other references for your research such
as Technical Assessments and Reports, Consent documents, court documents, journal and
conference papers etc….
The library databases have peer reviewed journal and conference papers, and other places
like Google Scholar.