Solar incentives in New Zealand: what's real, what's promised
New Zealand has no government solar rebate or subsidy today. Both major parties have proposed schemes, but they are election policies for after the 7 November 2026 election. Neither exists yet, and neither can be applied for.
What is genuinely available right now: green home loans from the major banks at around 0% to 1%, a new 10kW default export limit, and new rules requiring fairer payment for the power you export. Those three things are worth more to most households today than either election promise.
Three things that already changed in 2026
While the election policies get the headlines, the changes that actually affect your system and your payback have already happened this year. Most solar sites have not caught up.
Green loans at 0% to 1%
ANZ, ASB and BNZ each lend up to $80,000 as a green top-up on your mortgage at 1% p.a. fixed for three years, and Westpac lends up to $50,000 interest-free over five. This is the mechanism that removes the upfront cost today, whoever wins the election.
Export limit doubled to 10kW
From 11 May 2026, Electricity Authority rules set the default export limit at 10kW where the local network can support it — double the 5kW many networks applied before. A 6.6kW or 8kW system no longer has to throttle its output, which changes what size system is worth installing.
Fairer pay for exported power
From 1 April 2026 distributors must pay solar exporters for peak supply. From 1 July 2026 retailers with more than 5% market share must offer plans that reward peak exports. Standard buy-back rates run roughly 5 to 17 cents per kWh, and time-of-use plans widen that spread to about 5 cents off-peak and up to 40 cents at peak.
The export limit change matters more than it sounds. Under a 5kW cap, larger systems generated power they were not allowed to sell, which is why 6.6kW became the default size. Lifting the cap improves the economics of every system above 5kW. What the 10kW default actually covers, which networks apply something lower, and what size to build to are set out in full on the pages below.
What each party has proposed
Both major parties announced solar policies in mid-2026. They are more similar than the debate suggests: both are built on low-interest loans repaid through your rates, and both would remove the council consent requirement. The differences are in scale and in who gets helped.
| National — Home Energy Fund | Labour — SolarSaver | |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 25 June 2026 | 8 July 2026 |
| Headline cost | $7m Crown equity for a 20% shareholding in a new entity, with councils funding the balance | $160m over four years, funded by repurposing the gas security fund |
| Main mechanism | Low-interest loans secured against your property, repaid through rates over about 10 years | Two options: the same rates-based loan, plus Crown-underwritten loans through lines companies repaid via your power bill |
| Direct subsidy | None | Up to $3,000 kickstart for low and middle income households |
| Renters | Not covered | Kickstart subsidy extended to plug-in solar for renters |
| Covers | Solar, batteries, insulation, heat pumps | Solar, batteries, plus a $30m community battery fund |
| Consent change | Yes, removes council consent for solar installs | Yes |
| Key condition | Requires roughly 20% home equity. Councils opt in voluntarily | Income thresholds not yet confirmed |
| Detail | Read the full explainer | Read the full explainer |
Where the other parties stand
ACT opposes solar subsidies, arguing that if solar stacks up financially, households will invest without government help. The Green Party has called for a loan scheme of this kind for several years, and both Local Government New Zealand and Rewiring Aotearoa have advocated for the Ratepayer Assistance Scheme model that sits underneath both major parties' policies.
What happens after the election
Whichever party forms a government, a scheme still has to be legislated, an entity has to be established, and in both cases individual councils have to opt in. Realistically, nothing is available to households on day one. We will update this page as soon as anything becomes real, and if you are quoting now, your quote should stand on today's numbers rather than on a promise.
Sources: RNZ, interest.co.nz, 1News, NZ Labour.
Common questions
This page summarises publicly announced political party policy for general information. It is not political endorsement, financial advice or a guarantee that any scheme will proceed. Policy details may change. Finance is subject to lender approval, and green loan rates and terms are set by the lender, not by Solar.co.nz.
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