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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."
A very cool 'floatovoltaics' project makes use of unproductive pond space and also helps those struggling with their energy bills; renewables push down the price of electricity to nothing (or less than nothing) in Scandinavia and South Australia and New Zealand has an opportunity to follow suit; France goes hard on electrification, while the UK builds better; Aussie truckies reckon electrification will take decades but much bigger electric machines are here now, including some from Volvo; hydrogen generators are an innovation we do not need; the Speight's brewery gets off the gas with a $7.2 million electric boiler; and a bit of 'solarcasm' demonstrates how going off-grid is now an option for some.
Read moreDownloadA big part of our New Zealand-made energy plan is helping gas users get off the pipes and onto the electrons. Now Business NZ has added its voice to the debate, suggesting that the $200 million set aside to help the oil and gas industry is instead used as loans to help businesses electrify. The rare call for support came after it released a report showing that the businesses reliant on gas were struggling with increasing prices and their closure would have a massive impact on jobs and the economy.
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