Labour's SolarSaver removes the barrier that locks most families out of solar power with Government-backed finance, kickstart subsidies, plug-in options for renters and a community battery fund for neighbourhoods.
- Nothing to pay upfront with two new Government-backed, long-term, low-interest finance options repaid from savings on your power bill
- No lock-in: Repay the loan early at any time
- Kickstart subsidy of up to $3,000 for low- and middle-income homeowners and renters
- Plug-in solar panels for renters saving up-to $400 a year and paying for themselves in four to five years
- Fair pay for power you share: Fair time of use rates when you export power to the grid.
- $30 million community battery fund so neighbourhoods share the benefits, with or without panels on their roof
- EECA provides free, independent advice as a one-stop shop to help households with system selection, installer quotes and finance matching
- $160 million fully-funded over four years by repurposing the Government's Gas Security fund
Why this matters
Power bills are up 20 percent in just two years under Christopher Luxon. Families squeezed hardest by rising bills are locked out of the easiest solution.
Sunshine is the cheapest power there is - the only costly part is the gear. A typical solar and battery system costs around $20,000, which is out of reach for most families.
People with money could always get solar. But the only affordable finance available requires a mortgage and enough equity. SolarSaver changes that by taking care of the upfront cost.
How SolarSaver works for you
Whatever your situation, SolarSaver has an option for you:
If you own your home
Two long-term, low-interest loan options with nothing to pay upfront:
- Lines company loan: borrow through your local lines company to cover the cost of solar and a battery. You repay gradually through your power bill. You own the system from day one.
- Ratepayer Assistance Scheme: a low-interest loan attached to your property, covering solar, batteries and other home electrification like hot water heat pumps. Designed by councils, Local Government New Zealand and Rewiring Aotearoa.
Repayments are set below your power bill savings, so you are better off every month from the start.
If you need a hand to get started
A kickstart subsidy of up to $3,000 is available for low- and middle-income households. That is enough to cover a plug-in solar system in full, or to reduce the cost of a rooftop install.
Labour has set aside $77 million for household subsidies over four years.
If you rent your home
Labour will fix the regulations so renters can use plug-in solar panels that connect to a normal power point. Everything that converts sunlight into usable electricity is already built in - just plug in and start saving.
A two-panel kit costs around $1,500, saves $300-$400 a year on your power bill, and pays for itself in four to five years. Eligible people who rent can also access the kickstart subsidy to cover the cost.
If you don't put panels on your roof
A $30 million community battery fund means neighbourhoods can share the benefits of local solar power whether they have panels or not. Community batteries store power and feed it back when people need it most, at peak times, or when the network goes down.
If you are unsure
EECA will provide a free, independent, one-stop shop to help you work out what suits your home, get quotes from accredited installers, match you with the best finance for your situation and set out realistic whole-of-life running costs upfront - so you know exactly what to expect.
Shared power for whole neighbourhoods
A community battery stores surplus power generated locally during the day and feeds it back to a neighbourhood or group of units in the evening, during a storm, or a power cut. It works like a home battery, but shared across many households at once. Everyone nearby shares the savings, whether they have panels or not, owners and renters alike.
Labour will set up a $30 million fund for community batteries. Councils, iwi, community trusts, charities, and lines companies can all apply, with the Government covering half of each project (up to $200,000 per project). Lines companies can apply to build, own, and operate community batteries in the most energy-vulnerable neighbourhoods, or in areas where a battery can defer a costly network upgrade.
Community batteries are already working in parts of New Zealand:
Franklin (Counties Energy)
Local solar and battery sharing is expected to cover 80-90 percent of the energy bills of three family-services organisations, who pass the benefit to the families they support.
Te Reureu Valley, Manawatu-Whanganui (Kia Whitingia)
Solar and batteries on marae have cut local power bills by around 20 percent, with energy traded within the community at below-market prices.
Greerton, Tauranga (Powerco)
Pole-mounted batteries are topping up supply at peak times, avoiding expensive network upgrades that would otherwise land on everyone's power bill.
Jobs and skills
SolarSaver isn't just about cheaper power. Every rooftop system and community battery means local jobs for electricians, installers, inspectors and solar technicians, in the regions as much as the cities.
Labour will fund the Tertiary Education Commission to work with industry to grow the solar workforce as installation scales up, including apprenticeships, on-the-job training, re-skilling and micro-credentials leading to secure, well-paid careers. $4 million is set aside for workforce development.
Combined with Labour's expanded Apprenticeship Boost, this builds the workforce New Zealand needs to deliver clean, cheap power to every community - and keeps the money households save circulating in their local economy.
Proven around the world
SolarSaver draws on approaches already working in other countries:
Property-linked Loans: United States
The Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) scheme provides clean energy finance repaid through the property, not a personal loan. PACE has provided billions of dollars of upgrades over more than a decade.
Plug-in Solar for Renters: Germany
Around 1.5 million plug-in solar systems are registered, with renters leading the way and a spotless safety record for compliant systems.
Community Batteries: Australia
Sydney network Ausgrid's shared neighbourhood batteries are forecast to save eligible customers about AUD $200 a year, panels or not.
What it costs and where the money comes from
SolarSaver costs $160 million over four years, funded by repurposing the Government's Gas Security of Supply fund - money that has been sitting almost entirely unspent while power bills go up. Labour will put it to work cutting bills instead.
The cost includes:
- $77 million for household subsidies
- $30 million for community batteries
- $22 million for EECA delivery
- a $20 million Crown underwrite for lines company loans
- $7 million to establish the Ratepayer Assistance Scheme
- $4 million for workforce coordination
A Labour government will have EECA support, the subsidy scheme, and the lines company and Ratepayer Assistance Scheme loans up and running within 12 months of taking office.
What is SolarSaver?
SolarSaver is Labour's policy to remove the upfront cost that locks most New Zealand families out of solar power. It provides Government-backed, long-term, low-interest finance so you pay nothing upfront, own the system from day one, and repay the loan from the savings on your power bill. It covers homeowners, renters and whole communities.
Is there anything to pay upfront?
No. SolarSaver provides Government-backed finance with nothing to pay upfront. You own the solar system from day one, and repayments are set below your power bill savings so you are better off every month.
Who is eligible for SolarSaver?
- Homeowners: can access long-term, low-interest loans through their local lines company or the Ratepayer Assistance Scheme.
- Low- and middle-income households (including renters): can receive a kickstart subsidy of up to $3,000.
- Eligible renters: can use safe plug-in solar panels once Labour fixes the regulations and introduces the kickstart subsidies to cover the cost.
- Communities, councils, charities, iwi and lines companies: can apply to the $30 million community battery fund.
What if I'm a renter?
Labour will fix the regulations so renters can safely use plug-in solar panels that connect to a normal power point. Everything that converts sunlight into usable electricity is already built in - just plug in and start saving. A two-panel kit costs around $1,500, saves $300-$400 a year on your power bill, and pays for itself in four to five years. Renters can also access a kickstart subsidy of up to $3,000 to help cover the cost.
Is plug-in solar safe?
Yes. Plug-in solar panels are already widely used overseas, with around 1.5 million systems in Germany alone. Current New Zealand regulations simply haven't kept pace with how the technology has developed, but Labour will fix that.
How do community batteries work?
A community battery stores surplus power generated locally during the day and feeds it back to a neighbourhood or group of units in the evening, during a storm, or a power cut. It works like a home battery, but shared across many households at once.
Who can apply for a community battery?
Councils, iwi, community trusts, charities, and lines companies can apply. Lines companies can apply to build, own, and operate community batteries in the most energy-vulnerable neighbourhoods, or in areas where a battery can defer a costly network upgrade.
What happens if I move house?
The panels, repayments and savings all pass to the new owner - the loan stays with the property, not the person.
There is no lock-in, and you can repay early at any time. Evidence shows homes with solar sell for more.
How is SolarSaver funded and how much does it cost?
SolarSaver is fully funded by repurposing the Government's Gas Security fund - which is almost entirely unspent.
It will cost $160 million over four years, including:
- $77 million for household subsidies
- $30 million for community batteries
- $22 million for EECA delivery
- a $20 million Crown underwrite for lines company loans
- $7 million to establish the Ratepayer Assistance Scheme
- $4 million for workforce coordination
When will SolarSaver be up and running?
Labour will set up the EECA shop front, the subsidy scheme, and have the lines company and Ratepayer Assistance Scheme loans up and running within the first year of government.
SolarSaver removes the upfront cost that shuts most families out of having solar power.
Using SolarSaver pays for itself out of the savings it creates, so you save from the first month, own the asset on your roof, and can rely on homegrown power when storms hit and prices spike.
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