
After surveying almost 100 New Zealanders about their solar and battery installs, Mysolarquotes recently released 'The Hidden Costs of Solar and Battery Systems in New Zealand: 2024 Insights' report. And it's good news for customers looking to go big.
As the report summarised in its key takeaways section:

As the author Kristy Hoare concludes: "Yes, solar and battery systems are a significant investment, but they’re also a ticket to long-term energy independence and peace of mind. With low-interest loans from major banks, more Kiwis are taking the leap into renewable energy without the immediate financial pinch. Ultimately, investing in solar is about more than just the numbers. It’s about taking control of your energy future, contributing to a cleaner environment."
Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey was pleased to see the prices matching up closely to its own estimates and says it's always smart to get a few quotes to compare.
"Every home is different, but most homes are similar so it's good to get a ballpark figure. If you've got a difficult roof, or you need some other upgrades, you can expect to pay more but almost everyone we talk to who goes for it thinks it's a good decision."
The only point of contention was around battery prices and the expectation that they won't drop much this year.
"With the precipitous declines we're seeing from some manufacturers, we believe they will also be dropping in price rapidly for customers - and this is also likely to have an impact on the price of EVs."
Supporting homes and businesses to go electric would cut their fuel bills and prevent millions of tonnes of climate pollution. "Cost of living is such a front-of-mind challenge for so many people,” Climate Change Commission CEO Jo Hendy said. “It’s really important for us to be thinking about the emissions reductions actions that we can take that can also help people in other ways, particularly with the cost of living, [and] help industry with the challenges that they are facing with high electricity and gas prices as well.”
Read moreDownloadIt’s July 22, 2026, and plug-in solar panels are illegal in New Zealand. In 2012, WorkSafe announced a prohibition on the inverters required to make them work, citing “significant risks” of fire and serious harm. But advocates like Rewiring Aotearoa say that the 2012 ban was “written for cheap, unsafe devices that no longer exist on the market”. With the potential to reduce electricity bills by $300 to $400 per year per household, National, Labour and the Greens have now all expressed eagerness to update the regulations.
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