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Setting a higher default 10kW export limit for customers with small scale distributed generation such as roof top solar and batteries will remove unnecessary restrictions on the power customers can send back to the grid, supporting uptake of solar and batteries and create significant benefits for all electricity customers providing lower cost, more secure and resilient electricity supply.
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Distribution networks can impose export limits on the rate that customers supply electricity back to the grid. Traditionally, networks have set these export limits to 5kW for households. This means if households install solar and battery systems there are limits to how much they can export back to the network and exports can be unnecessarily curtailed and consumer benefit compromised.
Distributors use exports limits to help them operate their networks within prescribed limits (eg, voltage levels) to ensure reliable electricity supply. However, often these arbitrary export limits are not necessary to ensure the safe and effective operation of networks.
Recently the Government announced changes to widen the allowable low voltage range on networks to 230V to plus or minus 10% in changes to the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010. (It was previously plus or minus 6%). This means the safe voltage range on networks can go higher and this supports greater exports from customer solar PV and batteries, whilst maintaining safe voltages on the local networks.
The changes in this consultation by the Electricity Authority propose to set a default export limit of 10kW (for new small scale distributed generation connections) requiring distributors to act on the wider voltage limits and ensure New Zealanders can benefit from the new expanded allowed voltage range.
Higher export limits should incentivise bigger solar and battery systems to be installed and that will increase savings for homeowners and also help bring down the price of electricity for everyone on the network.
For connection of distributed generation (e.g. larger rooftop solar installs and ground mounted solar) that is over 10kW, default export limits are not being proposed - instead the Electricity Authority is proposing to require distributors to use an industry developed assessment method to set these bespoke export limits.
Getting this right will be really important for many small businesses, community groups, farms and households who want to install more than 10kW of solar so that unnecessary limits are not placed on the scale of their solar and battery installations. This group of customers installing mid size solar are typically not resourced to engage in the connection process with distributors in the same way that the large utility scale distributed solar and battery firms are. We think it’s important that the proposed assessment method that distributors use is transparent, fair and use is monitored by the Electricity Authority to ensure it is not used to unnecessarily limit distributed generation. A third party expert review on behalf of consumers should be undertaken to ensure the industry developed assessment method is robust and unbiased.
The Electricity Authority is also proposing to allow for distributors to set lower default limits than 10kW where appropriate using an industry-developed export limits assessment methodology. This should be a last resort and it should be demonstrated that all other options to provide for a 10kW default export limit have been explored. Lower default export limits set in this way should be transitional and super seeded as more advanced control methods - for example dynamic operating envelopes, are implemented which can maximise exports on networks. It should not be used as a way for EDBs to avoid improving network management approaches to support more customer solar investment. Electricity Authority scrutiny should be applied here also.
Higher export limits should speed up adoption rates because the payback period for solar and battery installs will be reduced and there is an incentive for bigger systems to be installed. This will increase savings for homeowners and also help bring down the price of electricity for everyone on the network.
The arbitrary 5kW export restrictions from the networks were based on everyone in the street having solar, but that is definitely not the reality in New Zealand at the moment. Australia's average solar system is close to double the size of New Zealand's and that is partially due to solar installs being specced to the size of the export limit.
Higher export limits will also have widespread benefits for all New Zealanders. As the volume of distributed generation and battery storage increases over time, higher export limits will be particularly beneficial during times of peak demand because they reduce the need to:
The higher export limit will also be useful when there is a dry year and/or low wind. In these situations, distributed generation (e.g. from rooftop solar) can strengthen the security of the electricity supply by keeping more water in our hydro lakes, help support lower wholesale electricity prices and reduce power bills for all customers.
Higher export limits will also strengthen the resilience of the electricity supply. For example, distributed generation can increase the energy resilience of local communities by reducing reliance on electricity generated from centralised, grid-scale generation. Plus solar and battery systems can provide essential back up if there is a power outage, providing power for essential communications, EV charging and basic needs.
The country is screaming out for more generation and we know there is currently spare solar energy being curtailed by the networks that could be helping in a dry year. We want to encourage the biggest possible solar systems because it reduces the costs for the homeowner and for everyone else on the network and higher export limits will do that.
Paste these bullets and email them to the connection.feedback@ea.govt.nz with ‘Maximising benefits from local electricity generation’ in the subject line by 5pm, 19th November 2025.
Send a quick email submission. Copy the email template below into your own document and fill in the blanks.
Share this guide with your friends and ask them to follow your lead.
Same instructions as above, but add the personal touch to the ideas in the email template below. The more personalised you make your submission, the more effective it will be.
Connecting it to personal stories of the difference these changes will make to you (or would have made when you were making decisions on solar and/or batteries) are most effective. Even if only partly formed thoughts, your reflections on the impact on actual decision-making are incredibly valuable. Or you could describe what benefits from increased local generation and storage would mean to you. For example, the impact of lowering electricity bills from local generation with batteries and having a local hub that provides a backup option when the power goes out.
What will be most valuable for the Electricity Authority is your own experience and thoughts.
My name is [NAME], and I’m a [age/job/gender/parental status/whatever you identify with] from [location]. I, like many others, am excited by the potential of better empowering consumers who are fundamentally reshaping our energy future through investment in distributed generation like rooftop solar, and battery storage.
[Feel free to add personal thoughts here about why this is important to you.]
I agree with the Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko (Authority) aim to remove unnecessary barriers to more efficient investment in distributed generation and maximise the benefits it brings for all New Zealanders.
Currently, there are arbitrary restrictions on the amount of power those with rooftop solar and batteries connected to distribution networks can export to the grid. Higher export limits should speed up distributed generation (eg, roof top solar) and battery adoption rates because the payback period will be reduced and incentivise bigger systems to be installed. This will increase savings for homeowners and also help bring down the price of electricity for everyone on the network.
I support the Electricity Authority proposals to improve export limits for small-scale distributed generation (DG) by:
I support the Electricity Authority proposals to improve export limits for large-scale distributed generation (DG) by:
Making sure the way bespoke export limits are set for many small businesses, community groups, farms and households who want to install more than 10kW of solar is really important to get right, so that unnecessary limits are not placed on the scale of their solar and battery installations. This critical group of customers installing mid size solar are typically not resourced to engage in the connection process with distributors in the same way that the large utility scale distributed solar and battery firms are. Therefore it’s important that the proposed assessment method that distributors use is transparent, fair and its use is monitored by the Electricity Authority to ensure it is not used to unnecessarily limit distributed generation.
Allowing for distributors to set lower default limits than 10kW where appropriate using an industry-developed export limits assessment methodology, might be needed in specific situations but it should not be used as a way for EDBs to avoid improving network management approaches to support more customer solar investment and continuing to impose arbitrary unnecessary export limits. Electricity Authority scrutiny should be applied here, to monitor use.
Higher export limits will have widespread benefits for all New Zealanders and strengthen the resilience of the electricity supply. For example, distributed generation can increase the energy resilience of local communities by reducing reliance on electricity generated from centralised, grid-scale generation. Plus solar and battery systems can provide essential back up if there is a power outage, providing power for essential communications, EV charging and basic needs.
The country is screaming out for more generation and we know there is currently spare solar energy being curtailed by the networks that could be helping, especially in a dry year. We want to encourage the biggest possible solar systems because it reduces the costs for the homeowner and for everyone else on the network and higher export limits will help do that.
[If you have any personal experience with the network connection process and especially related to any limits placed on exported generation, please describe this as it will likely strengthen the rationale for this proposed requirement. ]
[If you have thoughts on how you have or would consider investing in a distributed generation like roof top solar and the impact higher default export limits would make on these decisions, feel free to add those thoughts here.]
Rewiring Aotearoa is a non-partisan non-profit organisation that believes electrification has major economic, social, climate and environmental benefits. We represent everyday New Zealanders in the energy system and advocate for an equitable energy transition that does not leave anyone behind. Our mission is to rapidly reduce New Zealand’s emissions, improve cost-of-living outcomes, and increase energy security and resilience by electrifying the millions of fossil fuel machines in our homes, communities, businesses and on-farm.
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