Introduction

Rooftop solar is the cheapest form of delivered energy available to New Zealand homes, at less than half of the average grid electricity costs. Households can enjoy cheap and clean energy, and use this to power their efficient electric appliances and cars. As prices for fossil fuels and grid electricity look set to continue rising, solar panels lock in a lifetime of savings and low emissions living. 

Conventionally, New Zealand has thought of solar and batteries as not providing much emissions reduction, because we have an 80% renewable electricity grid. However, our electricity grid does not include all the fossil fuels we burn in our cars, so only around 30% of New Zealand's total energy use is renewable. We will need more renewable electricity to electrify our cars, and rooftop solar can provide a lot of that energy - reducing vehicle emissions - and also provide the lowest cost charging for our vehicles.

Rooftop Solar

Rooftop solar systems utilise photovoltaic (PV) panels installed on your roof to convert sunlight into electricity.

Why choose rooftop solar?

• You’ll save money. Solar is the cheapest form of energy available to New Zealand households, and the cheapest energy the world has ever created. The day you start powering your home’s energy needs from your rooftop solar is the day you will save money on your energy bills. Even if we put a magical power plant in the middle of the country that generated free electricity, it would still be cheaper for customers to have rooftop solar because of the costs associated with transporting that electricity via all the poles and wires.  
• They’re good for our climate. Thanks to this technology, you can power a lot of your energy needs using a clean energy source without the greenhouse gas emissions produced from fossil fuels, both at a household level through petrol and diesel cars or at a national level through fossil fuel electricity generation. The more roofs with solar panels, the faster we can get to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.
• You can build your electric home. Once you’ve got cheap energy flowing straight off your rooftop, it makes more sense to have electric heating, cooling, cooking, hot water and vehicles.
• You can be more energy independent. By producing your own power on-site, you can have more control over your energy use. When you time your appliance use to when your solar is producing energy, this is the best way to maximise benefits.
• Improve your property value. Rooftop solar installations can increase the value of a property. Studies have shown that homes equipped with solar panels tend to sell faster and at higher prices than those without, as they offer prospective buyers long-term energy savings and environmental benefits.
• Help your community. The more solar there is, the more it benefits the whole community as increased local power generation reduces the costs of power transmission. In Australia, which has a larger solar industry, it is also estimated that there are 39 jobs directly supported for every 1 megawatt of solar installed.

What to consider when buying solar panels?

• Inverter type: Microinverters are attached to the back of each panel, while string inverters are all connected. Microinverters are generally more expensive but are more effective and good for shady roofs or complex installations, 
• Quality: Invest in high-quality solar panels and components from reputable manufacturers to ensure reliability and longevity. Better quality panels usually have higher efficiency and longer warranties too.
• Future energy use & system size: If you can, choose the biggest system you can afford and will fit on your roof. This is so you can accommodate any future electric needs (eg. electric vehicle). It costs less to install all at once and you can provide more electricity for winter use.

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Did you know? It used to be thought that solar panels were only good for north-facing roofs. With technological improvements and costs falling, these days it can be economical to put solar panels even on south-facing or shady roofs. Your installer can advise you.

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Renters

Renters make up around one third of New Zealand households, and are left behind on reaping the full benefits of electric efficient homes. Rewiring Aotearoa, and other organisations, are advocating for better renters rights to rectify this, but fixing the finance so that these technologies are available to everyone and providing incentives to landlords to electrify their properties and install solar so tenants benefit with lower bills is crucial. Whether you’re a renter or not, write to your MP and demand access to electrification finance - and incentives!

If you are renting, consider discussing solar options with your landlord. Some landlords may be open to installing solar panels, especially as it is likely to enhance the property value and attractiveness as a rental. You could calculate a value proposition and negotiate a slight rental increase for the benefit of bill reduction.

FAQ