• Check out the report here

Marae face rising electricity and gas prices, irregular demand, ageing buildings, and an energy market that is complex to navigate. At the same time, over two-thirds of our marae sit in the path of at least one significant natural hazard, and our communities often turn to them first when disaster strikes.

Electrifying our marae is a practical, affordable pathway to energy security, mana motuhake, resilience and lower emissions. However, due to the unique and highly variable nature of marae, it can be difficult to generalise on whether the economics always stack up. This report outlines current energy challenges facing marae, models the savings for different use cases and explores the way electrification can reach well beyond the bills to benefit whānau, communities and te taiao.

The benefits come in five main forms:

Lower operating costs that free up pūtea for our people

Our modelling based on six marae profiles of varying sizes and usage found that electrifying the LPG heating, water heating, and cooking in a marae could save between $6,000 and $23,500 per year in energy bills. While electric appliances can cost more upfront, this initial premium is predicted to pay for itself within the lifespan of the appliance. However, the upfront cost remains a real barrier for many marae, and access to capital or funding support is key to unlocking these savings.

Lower emissions and cleaner air, in keeping with the role as kaitiaki

While lowering bills, switching from gas to electric also cuts a marae’s emissions by around 90%. It also removes toxic indoor air pollution caused by burning gas inside the wharekai, protecting the health of the kaimahi and whānau who gather there.

A marae that keeps the lights on and the kai cooking when the grid goes down

Rooftop solar paired with a battery can lower costs and keep essential marae functions running during outages, including lighting, refrigeration, cooking and communications. New technology is making marae even more resilient. As vehicle-to-load (V2L) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology rolls out, an EV parked at the marae will be able to act as a large mobile battery. It could power the marae through an outage, or carry energy to whānau where it’s needed. This strengthens the marae’s role as a hub for the community.

Mana motuhake over energy

Aotearoa is facing an energy crisis. Our electricity is mostly renewable, but electricity is only part of the energy we use. In 2025, around 70% of New Zealand’s total energy consumption came from fossil fuels, most of which were imported. At home, gas supply has been falling as fields are depleted and a lot of our LPG is imported. This leaves people exposed to global price shocks and supply disruptions we have no control over.

A stronger, more distributed energy system for all of Aotearoa

Marae that stay connected to the grid can export their surplus solar, ease pressure on local networks by using batteries to limit peaks in demand, and give rural communities at the end of single lines a source of power they control. In the future, energy sharing will let marae pass their excess solar on to the surrounding community and lower power bills for whānau directly.

As Marama Royal, MNZM, JP (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei) and Chair - Pou Take Āhuarangi, National Iwi Chairs Forum, wrote in the foreword: “This report shows that electrification is an investment in the long-term wellbeing of our people. It is an exercise of rangatiratanga over our future: embracing innovation while standing firmly in our values, so that our marae continue to flourish as vibrant centres of culture, connection and community. Toitū te marae a Tāne, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te iwi māori e.”

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