Solar Power
The challenges and opportunities:
The energy demands of modern living are closely interconnected with the energy efficiency of our homes – the levels of insulation and ventilation, and the quality of the windows and heating systems integrated into the design of the home. The carbon footprint of older technologies including gas is also a factor.
Supplying NZ’s electricity is a vastly complex, high-technology process including the big generating companies and transmission systems across the country.
However there is increasing recognition of the benefits of a cost-effective option for households and local communities to generate their own electricity independently using energy direct from the sun:
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While more homes and community buildings are installing solar photovoltaic panels and battery systems, there is much more yet to be done. In October 2022 there were 43,641 solar systems across the country, but this equated to less than 1% of NZ’s total electricity consumption:
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More installations annually since then has given over 55,000 grid-connected small-scale solar systems in April 2025, with residential solar accounting for about 80% of new installations:
“The solar market is expected to continue expanding at a rate of 10-15% per year over the next five years. Key factors behind this growth include rising electricity prices, better battery prices… (homeowners’) environmental commitment… (and) complement to electric vehicles.”
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How to improve solar uptake:
A range of agencies and energy advocacy groups provide practical advice and guidance, including:
“Solar is the cheapest source of energy a NZ household can use… Solar panels will provide a decent and reliable return on investment… they can pay themselves off in as little as 7 years and then deliver free energy for the next 20.”
EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority):
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“Rooftop solar is the lowest cost delivered energy for homes at less than half the cost of grid electricity. With battery prices also now lower, New Zealand can add significant community resilience to its energy system while saving money. Home solar and battery combinations can reduce peak loads while saving on energy bills (negative cost)… Household electrification could eliminate approximately 10% of the current national greenhouse gas inventory.”
Rewiring Aotearoa:
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“Homeowners who want to future-proof their new house should install the necessary electrical cabling from their roof to their fuse box (or similar) at the time of construction, even if they don’t plan to install a PV system. This saves money later on, as internal wall access is simplified and no remedial work is required.”
BRANZ:
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The regulations for installing solar panel systems, including requirements for connecting to the distribution network to sell back power, and compliance with standards for inverters, are explained by the Electricity Authority:
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Recent changes to the building consent regulations are intended to support sustainable construction in NZ by removing the requirement for a building consent for installation of rooftop solar panels on existing homes and commercial buildings:
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“PV solar on the roof 7 KW – generate from the sun as much as we need during the day, don’t have batteries, export surplus generation back to the grid at the same price as night rates – summer credit from sunlight hours, will use as we go into winter. Annual electricity costs likely less than $500, may be zero”
Guy Gillespie: Character Builders
“You’re going to have that self-reliance that you’ve always been looking for, in this ever-changing climate, this environment, having that self-reliance is huge.”
Andrew Kitson: SolarCorp
“Batteries, give you full back up and independence if you lose power, more importantly they store the power for use later.”
Chris Dearsley: Harrisons Solar
“Future proofing – you don’t have to build everything into the home straight away – My house is pre-wired for solar panels – those were small up front costs, but it will make it easy for us to add those things on as we’re able to down the track.”
Rob d'Auvergne: Foley Group
“If you have solar PV there’s the potential to maximise your solar generation by running those heat pumps during the day, and that heat energy gets stored into your concrete foundation, your hot water cylinder, they become the biggest battery in your house.”
Hanshu Li: Warmth.nz
“Model the energy consumption for each home, build a system to achieve a big offset of that consumption. A daytime system we try to cover about 60% of what they use in a 12 month period – a battery system can go up to 80% or even 100%.”
Chris Dearsley: Harrisons Solar
“Exciting – our job is to get people into solar – Why? Because it’s a no brainer – financial returns on solar, you’re looking for 11%-12% returns, banks offering 1% loans.”
Andrew Kitson: SolarCorp
Many Superhome Partners and Participants are including solar energy as a central sustainability dimension in both new build homes and renovations:
