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Despite the abrupt closure of SolarZero, Kiwis are still backing the technology and government data analysed by Harrison's shows that total solar capacity installed reached 665 MW last month, up 43% on the same time last year, and more than double the capacity of two years ago. If that continued, the country would be on track to generate the equivalent amount of solar energy needed to power every home in the country within the next seven years. With EECA research showing solar increasingly stacks up financially, tax changes like 'investment boost', and growth in the rural and SME sectors, the sector is taking off.
"Our analysis of Electricity Authority data shows that residential installations made up around 54% of total installed solar capacity last month. The number of Kiwi homes with rooftop solar is now almost 68,000 and growing at around over 8,700 annually. While it took NZ seven years to reach the first 100 MW in solar capacity, that same amount is now being added every 18 months," Harrisons managing director Phil Harrison said.
The total number of households integrating both solar and batteries has grown by 72 percent since July 2024.
We've been wanting to get Transport Minister Chris Bishop on our Political Power series for a while now and Mike Casey had a chance to chat with him about his electric life (and his potential anointment as the Archbishop of Electrification) in Queenstown recently.
Read moreDownloadYes, and it's called the Ratepayer Assistance Scheme: As researcher Kimberley O'Sullivan writes: "Rather than being viewed as a luxury policy, supporting low-income households to install solar could make for a practical investment that eases energy hardship and strengthens energy resilience. The Winter Energy Payment will still be needed for many households in the years ahead. But, as global instability increasingly feeds into local energy costs, there is a case for policies that reduce reliance on annual bill support and bring household electricity costs down."
Read moreDownloadGovernment-backed bank loans for businesses hoping to transition from gas to electricity have been announced as part of the Budget and Rewiring Aotearoa believes it’s a positive move that will help more of them get past the upfront cost barrier of electrification. Now it's time to match that with a loan scheme for households.
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