A smart solution for NZ’s energy future

As New Zealand confronts increasing energy challenges, Bainham Rural Women have been advocating for the idea that the nation’s rooftops should be seen as valuable infrastructure for generating clean, sustainable energy.

Linda McClintock and Carolyn McLellan presented a remit on rooftop solar to the recent Rural Women AGM in Wellington, on behalf of Rural Women members from across the Top of the South. The remit urged the government to incentivise the installation of rooftop solar as a solution to the crisis, making it easier for households, farmers, and others to invest in solar panels and batteries.

As solar technology advances and costs drop, rooftop solar has become the cheapest form of electricity for New Zealand households, generating power locally, bypassing expensive transmission costs. This not only reduces their electricity bills but also increases energy resilience in adverse weather events or earthquakes, for example. The hardship caused by power outages as a result of Cyclone Gabrielle would not have had such a serious effect if more people had access to stored power generated on their roofs.

Australia’s success with rooftop solar is a clear example of its potential. With over 4 million rooftop solar systems and 300,000 more installed each year, Australia now generates more power from solar than from coal. In South Australia, rooftop solar production has exceeded demand, and accounted for 80% of generation in Western Australia’s main grid. These results have been driven by a rebate scheme which cuts upfront costs by about 30%.

New Zealand is well-positioned to replicate this success. With the right policies, New Zealand can build a more sustainable, affordable, and resilient energy future. Helping homeowners and farmers to get started would be a far cheaper option for the government than investing in extra generating capacity on a large scale. Yet this is what the big generators are asking for - $30 to $40 billion on new generation in the next 5-6 years.

Linda sums it up by saying, “Rooftop solar is a win-win: it cuts costs for households, who have security of supply, even during power outages, and they contribute to the grid at no cost to the government following its initial, one-off investment, and supports our climate targets. Australia has shown it’s possible—now it’s time for New Zealand to harness the power of its rooftops.”