Solar power in New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Solar power in New Zealand is a small but rapidly growing contributor to the country's electricity supply. In 2025, 971 gigawatt-hours of electricity was estimated to have been generated by grid-connected solar, 2.2% of all electricity generated in the country.[1]
As of the end of January 2026, New Zealand had 855 MW of distributed solar power installations[2] and 247 MW of grid-connected solar farms.[3] Since records began in September 2013, solar capacity has been increasing exponentially, doubling in capacity roughly every 24 months.[2] For new installations added in January 2026, the average residential system size was 7.9 kW and the average small and medium enterprise system was 20 kW.[2]
Distributed systems
Solar power systems can be divided based on their nameplate capacity and their obligations under the Electricity Industry Participation Code.[4][5][6]
- Small distributed systems are up to and including 10 kW.
- Large distributed systems are between 10 kW and 1000 kW.
- Grid-scale systems are 1 MW or more. Systems above 1 MW must comply with disclosure requirements to the transmission system operator (Transpower). Systems above 10 MW are required to participate in the wholesale electricity market.
Residential, commercial and industrial do not refer to system size, but rather the industry of the system owner as recorded on the ICP register. Industrial systems are those connected to ICPs with an ANZSIC code A through E, commercial systems are those connected to ICPs with an ANZSIC code F through S, and residential systems are those connected to ICPs without a valid ANZSIC code. Small and medium enterprise systems are those connected to commercial and industrial ICPs with a service capacity up to three-phase 500 amperes (i.e. 345 kVA).[2]
Although there are no subsidies for small-scale solar in New Zealand, the declining costs of photovoltaic have driven strong growth in household installations in recent years. In 2009, the average turnkey price for a standard 3-kilowatt (kW) PV system was about NZ$40,000;[7] by 2024 the average residential system size had increased to 7 kW while the average cost had fallen to NZ$16,500.[8]
Rooftop and other small photovoltaic systems with a capacity of up to and including 10 kW are classified as small-scale distributed generation under Part 6 of the Electricity Industry Participation Code. These systems must be approved by the local electricity distribution business (EDB) before they are connected to the grid, but EDBs cannot unreasonably refuse connection if the equipment meets technical standards. Inverters are required to comply with AS/NZS 4777, and many networks limit export to 5 kW per phase for single- and two-phase systems.[4][5][6]
Such systems generally do not require building consent when installed on existing roofs. Consent may be needed, however, for building-integrated PV (e.g. where the panels act as roof cladding), in heritage or design-sensitive zones, when breaching height-to-boundary restrictions, or for ground-mounted arrays larger than 40 square metres (430 sq ft).[9] Installations do not require building consent, but must be reviewed and approved by a licensed engineer in the following circumstances: ground-mounted arrays between 20 and 40 m2 (220 and 430 sq ft), roof-mounted arrays on a building that total more than 40 m2 (430 sq ft) on the same building, and any solar arrays installed in areas with a minimum design wind speeds greater than 44 m/s (160 km/h; 98 mph), such as exposed areas close to Cook Strait and areas in the lee of the Southern Alps (due to the Nor'wester Foehn wind).[10]
The largest solar power system on a school in New Zealand was officially opened in a ceremony in February 2019 at Kaitaia College. Kelvin Davis, unveiled a plaque to acknowledge the installation of the 368 solar panel project which is spread across the rooftop of multiple buildings on the school campus.[11]
By January 2014, solar photovoltaic systems had been installed in 50 schools through the Schoolgen program, a program developed by Genesis Energy to educate students about renewable energy, particularly solar energy. Each school has been given a 2 kW capacity PV system, with a total distributed installed capacity of 100 kilowatts-peak (kWp). Since February 2007, a total of 513 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electrical energy have been recorded.[12]
In January 2020 Foodstuffs announced it would be installing a 1.1 MW PV array on its new Auckland distribution centre.[13][14] In October 2020 Watercare Services installed a 1 MW floating array on its Auckland wastewater treatment plant.[15]
Grid-scale plants
In July 2019 Refining NZ announced plans for a 26 MW solar farm at the Marsden Point Oil Refinery, but by May 2020 the project was on hold.[16][17] In February 2020 Genesis Energy Limited announced plans for a 300 MW facility in the Waikato.[18]' In September 2020 Hawke's Bay Airport announced plans for a 10 MW farm on unused airport land.[19] In May 2020, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment released a study that considered the economics of grid-scale solar and gave forecasts to 2060, showing that New Zealand has potential for gigawatts of grid-scale solar.[20]
In February 2021 Far North Solar Farm applied for resource consent for a 16 MW farm at Pukenui on the Aupouri Peninsula in Northland.[21] The development subsequently stalled due to a lack of network capacity.[22]
In 2021, Kea Energy commissioned a solar power plant in the Wairau Valley in Marlborough with a potential capacity of 2.2 MW, with current plans to build capacity up to 1.85 MW as at March 2021.[23] In June 2021, the Todd Corporation commissioned a 2.1 MW solar plant at Kapuni in south Taranaki. The facility includes 5800 solar panels and was claimed to be the largest grid-connected solar plant at the time.[24]
In December 2021 Christchurch Airport announced it would be hosting a 150 MW plant at Kōwhai Park, to be scaled up over 30 years.[25][26] On 30 December 2021 Island Green Power announced plans for a 200 MW solar farm in Waikato.[27] In April 2022 Helios Energy announced plans for a series of farms with a combined output of 1 GW.[28] In May 2022 Far North Solar Farm announced a partnership with offshore investment fund Aquila Capital to build 1 GW of generation.[29]
In May 2021 Lodestone Energy announced plans for five solar farms in the upper North Island, capable of generating 400 GWh annually.[30][31] The 32 MWp Kohirā solar farm, northwest of Kaitaia, began generating electricity in November 2023.[32] As the first solar farm to exceed 10 MW, Kohirā was also the first required to participate in the wholesale electricity market.[33]
As of March, grid operator Transpower has 60 solar projects totalling 11,133 MW in its generation pipeline. Of those, thirteen projects totalling 1,896 MW are in the delivery stage (i.e. detailed design or construction).[34]
Operating
Under construction
Proposed
Only solar plants over 5 MW generating capacity are listed, or if the generating capacity is unknown, plants covering an area of at least 10 hectares (25 acres).
| Name | Location | Operator | Projected capacity (MW) | Status | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley[64] | Ashley, Canterbury | Energy Bay | Proposed | 43°16′4.37″S 172°36′59.54″E / 43.2678806°S 172.6165389°E | |
| Argyle Solar Farm | Wairau Valley, Marlborough | Manawa Energy | 65 | Proposed[65] | 41°40′11.15″S 173°12′7.25″E / 41.6697639°S 173.2020139°E |
| Black Point | Oamaru, Canterbury | Ethical Power | Proposed[66] | 44°53′3.81″S 170°46′24.07″E / 44.8843917°S 170.7733528°E | |
| Bridge Street[67] | Ongaonga, Hawke's Bay | Ranui Generation | 55 | Proposed | 39°54′31.4″S 176°25′25″E / 39.908722°S 176.42361°E |
| Buckleys Road | Brookside, Canterbury | KeaX | 65 | Consented[68] | 43°42′17″S 172°17′6″E / 43.70472°S 172.28500°E |
| Bunnythorpe[69] | Bunnythorpe, Manawatu | Lodestone Energy | 26 | Proposed | |
| Bunnythorpe 2 | Bunnythorpe, Manawatu | Harmony Energy | 400[70] | Proposed | 40°16′17.19″S 175°39′7.52″E / 40.2714417°S 175.6520889°E |
| Cambridge | Cambridge, Waikato | NewPower | 30 | Consented[71] | |
| Carterton | Carterton, Wairarapa | Harmony Energy | 133 | Consented[72] | |
| Dannevirke | Dannevirke, Tararua | NZ Clean Energy | 107 | Consented[73] | 40°11′1.9″S 176°0′22.8″E / 40.183861°S 176.006333°E |
| Darfield | Darfield, Canterbury | NZ Clean Energy | 117 | Consented[74] | 43°27′24″S 172°5′28″E / 43.45667°S 172.09111°E |
| Dunsandel | Dunsandel, Canterbury | Lodestone Energy | Consented[75] | ||
| Foxton | Foxton, Manawatu | Genesis | 220 | Proposed[76] | 40°25′48″S 175°19′58″E / 40.43000°S 175.33278°E |
| Foxton | Foxton, Manawatu | Aquila Clean Energy / Far North Solar Farm | 40 | Consented | |
| Glorit | Glorit, Auckland | Lightsource | 179 | Consented[77] | 36°27′12.1″S 174°25′15.04″E / 36.453361°S 174.4208444°E |
| Greytown[78] | Greytown, Wairarapa | Helios | 100 | Proposed | 41°5′55.8″S 175°26′21.45″E / 41.098833°S 175.4392917°E |
| Greytown 2 | Greytown, Wairarapa | Far North Solar Farm | 175 | Consented[79] | |
| Haldon | Mackenzie District | Lodestone Energy | 220 | Proposed[80] | |
| Hanmer Road | Canterbury | KeaX | 80 | Proposed[81] | |
| Hawke's Bay Airport[82] | Napier, Hawke's Bay | Hawke's Bay Airport | 40[83] | Proposed | 39°28′8.18″S 176°51′50.12″E / 39.4689389°S 176.8639222°E |
| Helensville[84] | Helensville, Auckland | HES Aotearoa | 70 | Proposed | 36°41′20″S 174°26′20″E / 36.68889°S 174.43889°E |
| Hinuera | Hinuera, Waikato | Harmony Energy | 110 | Proposed[66] | |
| Huirangi | Waitara, Taranaki | Harmony Energy | 100 | Proposed[66] | |
| Irishman Creek | Canterbury | Manawa | 220 | Proposed[85] | |
| Kaipara | Kaipara District, Northland | Manawa Energy | 100 | Proposed[86] | |
| Kairanga[87] | Palmerston North, Manawatu | Lodestone Energy | 27 | Proposed | |
| Karioi | Tangiwai, Manawatū-Whanganui | Helios | 110 | Consented[88] | |
| Leeston[89] | Leeston, Canterbury | KeaX | 160 | Proposed | |
| Leeston 2 | Leeston, Canterbury | Genesis[90] | 67 | Proposed | |
| Lodestone One[91] | Dargaville, Northland | Lodestone Energy | 60 | Proposed | |
| Makarewa | Makarewa, Southland | Network Electrical Servicing | 8.4 | Consented[92] | |
| Māniatoto | Maniototo, Otago | Helios | 300 | Consented[93] | 45°4′9.34″S 170°6′34.64″E / 45.0692611°S 170.1096222°E |
| Marton | Marton, Rangitikei District | Aquila Capital | 41 | Consented[94] | |
| Marton 2 | Marton, Rangitikei District | Energy Farm | 110 | Proposed[95] | 40°7′30.99″S 175°23′46.12″E / 40.1252750°S 175.3961444°E |
| Marton 3 | Marton, Rangitikei District | Harmony Energy | 103 | Consented[96] | 40°6′28.1″S 175°21′40.4″E / 40.107806°S 175.361222°E |
| Massey University[97] | Massey University, Palmerston North | Solar Bay | 6 | Proposed | 40°23′30.75″S 175°37′50.42″E / 40.3918750°S 175.6306722°E |
| Mount Somers | Mount Somers, Canterbury | Lodestone Energy | Consented[75] | ||
| Naseby | Naseby, Otago | Solar Bay | 50 | Consented[98] | |
| Ongaonga[99] | Ongaonga, Hawke's Bay | Sky Solar | Consented[100] | 39°55′15.55″S 176°26′46.64″E / 39.9209861°S 176.4462889°E | |
| Ongaonga 2[101] | Ongaonga, Hawke's Bay | Helios | 100 | Consented[102] | 39°55′37.57″S 176°25′10.58″E / 39.9271028°S 176.4196056°E |
| Ongaonga 3 | Ongaonga, Hawke's Bay | CentraLines | 30 | Consented[100] | 39°55′51.97″S 176°29′3.48″E / 39.9311028°S 176.4843000°E |
| Ōpunake | Ōpunake, Taranaki | Energy Farm | 110 | Consented[103] | 39°21′55.57″S 173°52′27.32″E / 39.3654361°S 173.8742556°E |
| Rangitīkei | Rangitīkei district | FRV | 210 | Proposed[104] | |
| Rotokawa | Rotokawa, Bay of Plenty | Tauhara North 2 Trust | 105 | Proposed[66] | 38°36′33″S 176°11′25″E / 38.60917°S 176.19028°E |
| Skinner Road[52] | Stratford, Taranaki | Ranui Generation | 40 | Proposed | |
| St Arnaud[105] | St Arnaud, Tasman | Far North Solar Farm | 123 | Proposed | 41°40′30″S 172°52′26″E / 41.675°S 172.874°E |
| Stratford | Stratford, Taranaki | Contact | 170 | Proposed[106] | |
| Swannanoa | Swannanoa, Canterbury | Meridian Energy | 200 | Proposed[107] | |
| Tahuna[108] | Tahuna, Waikato | Kiwi Solar farms | 23 | Proposed | |
| The Point | Mackenzie District | Far North Solar Farm | 420 | Proposed[109] | 44°19′18.71″S 170°12′3.55″E / 44.3218639°S 170.2009861°E |
| Three Stream[52] | Kaponga, Taranaki | Ranui Generation | 30 | Consented[110] | |
| Tikokino[52] | Tikokino, Hawke’s Bay | Ranui Generation | 55 | Proposed | |
| Tolaga Bay | Tolaga Bay, East Coast | Eastland Generation | 11.7 | Proposed[66]: 67 | |
| Waiinu Energy Park | Waiinu Beach | Meridian | Proposed[111] | 39°50′35″S 174°44′20″E / 39.843°S 174.739°E | |
| Waingawa | Masterton, Wairarapa | Masterton Solar and Energy Storage | 100 | Proposed[112] | |
| Waipara | Waipara, Canterbury | Far North Solar Farm | 135 | Proposed[113] | 43°2′52.03″S 172°43′58.09″E / 43.0477861°S 172.7328028°E |
| Wairoa | Wairoa, East Coast | Eastland Generation | 9 | Proposed[114] | 39°0′17″S 177°24′38″E / 39.00472°S 177.41056°E |
| Waiterimu[27] | near Ohinewai, Waikato | Genesis[115] | 271 | Consented[116] | 37°28′35.57″S 175°16′14.7″E / 37.4765472°S 175.270750°E |
| Wellsford | Wellsford, Auckland | Energy Farm | 76 | Proposed[117] | 36°18′56.07″S 174°30′55.5″E / 36.3155750°S 174.515417°E |
| Western Bays | Kuratau, Waikato | Meridian | 500 | Proposed[118] |
Cost-effectiveness
Retail buy-back rates for solar power exported to the grid range from 8 to 17 cents per kilowatt-hour, plus 15% GST if the system owner is GST-registered.[119] The financial return for PV systems depends largely on maximising on-site consumption, as self-consumed electricity offsets retail power prices of around 23 to 38 cents per kilowatt-hour.[120] Common methods to increase self-consumption include running appliances during daylight hours, using energy management systems, or installing battery storage.[121]
The effective cost of electricity from rooftop PV is estimated at around 11 cents per kilowatt-hour. Reported payback periods for households range from five to seven years, with shorter times for users with high daytime demand.[122] Financing costs can significantly extend the payback period, though some banks offer low-interest "green loans" for solar installations.[123]
Statistics
 |
| Network reporting region | All ICPs | Residential ICPs only | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installations | Uptake
(%) |
Capacity
(MW) |
Installations | Uptake
(%) |
Capacity
(MW) | |
| Bay of Islands (Top Energy) | 2,589 | 7.42 | 83.98 | 2,285 | 7.81 | 11.80 |
| Whangarei and Kaipara (Northpower) | 3,408 | 5.35 | 52.47 | 3,051 | 5.73 | 16.43 |
| Waitemata (Vector) | 6,957 | 2.60 | 43.60 | 6,506 | 2.71 | 34.26 |
| Auckland (Vector) | 7,101 | 1.85 | 73.37 | 6,415 | 1.90 | 32.50 |
| Counties (Counties Power) | 2,301 | 4.56 | 17.45 | 2,125 | 4.93 | 11.12 |
| Thames Valley (Powerco) | 2,692 | 3.52 | 50.33 | 2,291 | 3.61 | 12.58 |
| Waikato (WEL Networks) | 3,587 | 3.52 | 33.52 | 3,263 | 3.72 | 18.97 |
| Waipa (Waipā Networks) | 1,596 | 5.29 | 25.08 | 1,445 | 5.85 | 20.27 |
| King Country (The Lines Company) | 382 | 1.58 | 3.67 | 301 | 1.64 | 1.63 |
| Tauranga (Powerco) | 4,994 | 5.25 | 35.83 | 4,711 | 5.68 | 27.65 |
| Rotorua (Unison Networks) | 1,076 | 3.22 | 7.22 | 989 | 3.47 | 5.39 |
| Eastern Bay of Plenty (Horizon Energy) | 989 | 3.89 | 29.97 | 870 | 4.14 | 4.63 |
| Taupo (Unison Networks) | 612 | 3.25 | 3.78 | 561 | 3.54 | 3.11 |
| Tairawhiti and Wairoa (Firstlight Network) | 773 | 2.95 | 10.09 | 686 | 3.19 | 3.19 |
| Hawke's Bay (Unison Networks) | 3,838 | 5.74 | 27.52 | 3,450 | 6.03 | 18.56 |
| Central Hawke's Bay (Centralines) | 517 | 5.76 | 4.07 | 450 | 6.71 | 2.83 |
| Southern Hawke's Bay (Scanpower) | 113 | 1.65 | 1.44 | 91 | 1.81 | 0.44 |
| Wairarapa (Powerco) | 1,637 | 5.92 | 15.21 | 1,519 | 6.58 | 9.14 |
| Taranaki (Powerco) | 2,435 | 3.96 | 30.07 | 2,154 | 4.32 | 13.24 |
| Whanganui (Powerco) | 1,267 | 3.33 | 8.73 | 1,160 | 3.76 | 6.79 |
| Manawatu (Powerco) | 1,835 | 3.31 | 14.70 | 1,678 | 3.55 | 9.65 |
| Kapiti and Horowhenua (Electra) | 2,278 | 4.76 | 13.94 | 2,176 | 5.11 | 11.86 |
| Wellington (Wellington Electricity) | 4,188 | 2.27 | 26.07 | 4,023 | 2.46 | 20.76 |
| Nelson (Nelson Electricity) | 490 | 5.25 | 2.58 | 464 | 5.95 | 2.23 |
| Tasman (Network Tasman) | 3,114 | 7.83 | 29.45 | 3,163 | 8.47 | 18.99 |
| Marlborough (Marlborough Lines) | 1,653 | 6.14 | 36.53 | 1,507 | 6.73 | 8.02 |
| Buller (Buller Electricity) | 70 | 1.40 | 0.42 | 63 | 1.48 | 0.37 |
| West Coast (Westpower) | 228 | 1.55 | 1.61 | 206 | 1.78 | 1.36 |
| North Canterbury (MainPower) | 3,114 | 6.80 | 27.34 | 2,900 | 7.75 | 15.77 |
| Central Canterbury (Orion) | 9,045 | 3.88 | 64.39 | 8,445 | 4.18 | 48.20 |
| Ashburton (EA Networks) | 842 | 3.93 | 69.77 | 658 | 4.74 | 3.94 |
| South Canterbury (Alpine Energy) | 1,152 | 3.33 | 7.27 | 1,042 | 3.79 | 5.38 |
| Waitaki (Network Waitaki) | 382 | 2.81 | 3.76 | 330 | 3.18 | 1.84 |
| Queenstown (Aurora Energy) | 871 | 5.48 | 5.75 | 812 | 6.69 | 4.90 |
| Central Otago (Aurora Energy) | 2,548 | 9.72 | 18.31 | 2,353 | 11.24 | 13.15 |
| Otago (OtagoNet) | 470 | 2.99 | 3.24 | 410 | 3.47 | 2.07 |
| Dunedin (Aurora Energy) | 996 | 1.73 | 5.03 | 938 | 1.85 | 4.43 |
| Southland (The Power Company) | 775 | 2.02 | 5.18 | 691 | 2.50 | 3.91 |
| Invercargill (Electricity Invercargill) | 199 | 1.11 | 1.29 | 177 | 1.13 | 0.83 |
| New Zealand | 83,773 | 3.55 | 896.18 | 76,586 | 3.81 | 433.53 |
| End of Year | ICP count | ICP uptake rate (%) | Total capacity installed (MW) | Avg. capacity installed (kW) | Net generation (GWh)[1] | Capacity factor
(annual average MW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 2,295 | 0.11385 | 8.620 | 3.756 | 7 | n/a |
| 2014 | 5,530 | 0.27141 | 22.085 | 3.994 | 19 | 14.2% |
| 2015 | 9,534 | 0.46274 | 37.450 | 3.928 | 36 | 13.8% |
| 2016 | 13,794 | 0.66199 | 53.282 | 3.863 | 56 | 14.0% |
| 2017 | 18,298 | 0.86715 | 71.029 | 3.882 | 76 | 14.0% |
| 2018 | 22,740 | 1.06422 | 92.029 | 4.047 | 100 | 14.0% |
| 2019 | 26,620 | 1.22897 | 116.015 | 4.358 | 127 | 13.9% |
| 2020 | 30,891 | 1.40551 | 147.068 | 4.761 | 160 | 13.9% |
| 2021 | 37,170 | 1.66600 | 194.045 | 5.220 | 208 | 13.9% |
| 2022 | 46,384 | 2.04713 | 264.675 | 5.706 | 283 | 14.0% |
| 2023 | 56,792 | 2.46885 | 378.683 | 6.668 | 371 | 13.9% |
| 2024 | 68,978 | 2.96140 | 564.985 | 8.191 | 595 | 15.2% |
| 2025 | 81,052 | 3.44407 | 848.971 | 10.474 | 971 | 15.9% |