New Zealand’s Ministry for Regulation has launched a review into residential solar installations, with the aim of reducing cost, delay and complexity for households.
The Sector Review aims to make New Zealand’s solar installation process the simplest in the developed world. With typical systems costing between NZ$8,500 and NZ$11,500, data from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority suggests Kiwi families could save more than NZ$1,000 a year on power bills, allowing the technology to pay for itself within a decade.
However, installing solar in New Zealand could take months, with households and installers often needing to navigate requirements across building rules, electricity safety setting and planning controls.
The process can involve up to eight layers of sign-off and five separate site visits from four different regulatory entities. This cumbersome process means a standard installation, which should be simple, can take months to complete.
By contrast, in parts of Australia, approval for residential solar installations can be completed within 24 hours, which has led to more than 30 per cent of Australian households now using solar power.
“Kiwis need access to reliable and affordable energy. This review will make solar an easy option in New Zealand,” said Regulation Minister David Seymour.
“Solar installation in New Zealand is a red tape nightmare. Just getting it approved can take months. In parts of Australia, approval of similar low risk solar can be done in just 24 hours.”
The review will focus on residential and small to medium‑scale solar installations, including rooftop, ground‑mounted and plug‑in systems. It will identify where building rules, electricity safety settings, and planning controls overlap.
The review will also examine how international markets manage risk for small-scale solar and adapting those for the New Zealand market.
Initial advice is expected to be provided to the Minister later this year.
“Common sense says that if something is low risk, the rules should reflect that. Every unnecessary requirement pushes up costs and puts people off generating their own power,” Seymour said.