i

Add solar to your home

Prices for fossil fuels and grid electricity are set to continue rising. Paying upfront for rooftop solar panels could allow you to lock in years worth of savings on your energy bills, as well as helping to reduce your household emissions.

Get started online

Generate your own electricity with solar panels

According to Rewiring Aotearoa, rooftop solar costs less than half of the average price of grid electricity in New Zealand. 

Although the upfront costs of installing solar power in your home are high, once you have installed solar, you will be able to generate your own power. You also may be able to sell energy that you don't consume back to the grid (although the rate you receive for this is likely to be lower than the rate you pay). 

To reduce your need to use energy from the grid, and to use as much of your own solar power as possible, it's best if you can consume most of your power needs during the day. If you're out during the day, make the most of timers and delay functions on your appliances to maximise your daytime usage. 

See what you could save

Rewiring Aotearoa have built a tool to show what you could save by going electric in your household. 

Answer the questions about your household and you'll get an assessment showing:

  • What you could save on your energy bills
  • What upfront costs you may have to pay

See calculator

*The calculator provides an estimate of cost savings for the average household and should not be used as financial advice. We recommend carrying out further due diligence and consulting with professionals before making any decisions or carrying out installation work.

See if solar is right for your home

Most homes can get benefit from adding solar panels, but there are some properties better suited. The direction your roof faces, what it's made from, and the angle or pitch of the roof can all make a difference. You also need to consider how much sunlight your property receives, and whether you have trees or other buildings blocking it.

There are resources that can help you work this out:

NIWA Solarview

Find your property, enter a few details about your roof and see the potential sunlight that can be captured at your home. 

Go to NIWA Solarview

Solar power calculator

Gen Less have a detailed calculator that helps you work out the solar potential. You'll need a recent power bill, and info like the orientation and pitch of your roof.

Go to calculator

Adding a battery is optional

You may think you need a battery to make the most of solar, but you can still save on your monthly energy bills without one. If you do choose to add a battery, expect the battery cost to be around $6,000 for a 5kwh battery, suitable for a small to medium home and up to $18,000 for a 15kWh battery, suitable for a very large home.

The advantage to adding a battery is that you get to store the energy you produce to use in peak times, rather than taking from the national grid. This will further reduce your monthly energy bills and is particularly useful if you have an EV. It also means if there is a power outage for any reason, you can still generate, store and use electricity.

Go solar with the ASB Better Homes Top Up

You could access up to $80,000 at 1.00% p.a. interest, fixed for 3 years (minimum 20% equity), to make electric upgrades to your home.

Put it towards the installation of solar panels, an EV and charger, or a range of other appliance updates aimed at improving the efficiency of your home. 

Get started online Find out more

ASB Bank Limited's lending criteria, terms and exclusions apply. Rate, offer and fees may change. Refer to asb.co.nz for eligibility criteria and other fees and charges. At the end of the fixed rate period our Housing Variable Rate will apply. See asb.co.nz for details. An early repayment adjustment may apply if you break a fixed rate term.

The best time to switch

The sooner you install solar, the sooner you could benefit from the cost savings. It should be higher up your priorities list if your home is using electric appliances, or has any of these big power users:

  • EV
  • Heated swimming pool
  • Spa or hot tub

How to install solar

You'll need to find a reputable solar installer in your area. SEANZ (Sustainable Energy Association of NZ) have put together a directory of approved providers. Most providers will send someone out to have a look at your property and work with you to figure out the type of solar system that's best for you (size, battery, and whether you need to update your home's wiring). It's always a good idea to get a few quotes to compare and go with an installer you feel comfortable with.

Consumer NZ also has articles to help you navigate solar, if solar is right for you and what to look out for.

Learn more about solar

Rewiring Aotearoa have done all the hard work when it comes to solar. To learn more about rooftop solar and find answers to some of the most common questions, head over to Rooftop solar and batteries at Rewiring Aotearoa.