Congratulations to the Hiringa Energy Kapuni Wind Farm & Green Hydrogen Plant which has been named ESG Power-to-X Deal of the Year, APAC at the Infra Global ESG Awards 2026. Simpson Grierson acted as lead legal adviser to Parininihi ki Waitōtara.

Developed by Hiringa Energy, the Taranaki wind farm project will be the first in Aotearoa to integrate wind energy and renewable electricity for industry and green hydrogen production at scale. This recognition by the Infra Global ESG Awards 2026 highlights the project’s focus on advancing carbon-neutral energy and sustainable fuels across the Asia-Pacific region.

Simpson Grierson contributed to the project as lead legal adviser to Parininihi ki Waitōtara, who had multiple roles in the project as mana whenua and landowner. Our team negotiated the land access and land use arrangements and advised on Parininihi ki Waitōtara’s investment and participation rights.

A key focus of our advice was structuring governance, decision-making and risk allocation to protect Parininihi ki Waitōtara’s long-term interests, while ensuring the arrangements remained workable for the developer and project funders.

The matter drew on our experience advising iwi entities on complex infrastructure projects involving the intersection of land rights, investment participation, and governance.

Congratulations to Hiringa Energy, Parininihi ki Waitōtara and the other organisations and advisers involved in the project on this recognition.