Making it easier to install solar in New Zealand

The Ministry for Regulation has completed its review into New Zealand's solar installation system, identifying a package of recommendations to make it easier and more predictable for households and businesses to install solar.

The Ministry for Regulation’s review found that while demand for solar is growing and the benefits are clear, the process for getting a system installed can be more complicated than it should be. People often face multiple steps, unclear requirements, and delays at different points along the way. What should be a relatively straightforward upgrade can become time-consuming and frustrating.

The review found that issues arise across the system – including planning requirements, electricity network approvals, metering, retailer processes, inspections, and building rules. While these parts of the system generally work as intended on their own, they are not always well coordinated, creating unnecessary cost, delay, and uncertainty for households and businesses trying to install solar.

The result can be multiple approval processes, inconsistent information requests, unnecessary delays, and additional costs.

To address this, the review recommends a package of improvements focused on making the system faster, simpler, and more consistent.

What the review recommends

The review makes recommendations across the solar installation process, including:

• clarifying that building consent requirements do not apply to most standard solar installations
• creating more consistent national planning rules to reduce the need for resource consent
• improving the speed, transparency, and consistency of electricity network approval processes
• improving access to and transparency of metering services, and increasing consumer choice
• strengthening retailer processes and communication
• moving to a more proportionate, risk-based approach to electrical inspections
• legalising plug-in solar in New Zealand

Together, these recommendations are designed to better align requirements with risk, reduce duplication, and improve how the system works end-to-end.

What this means

The Ministry estimates that the recommendations could deliver net benefits of between $28 million and $50 million over 10 years, reflecting a more efficient system with fewer delays and lower compliance costs.

Next steps

Regulation Minister David Seymour and Energy Minister Simeon Brown have indicated support for the findings and recommendations in the report.

Minister Seymour will now seek Cabinet endorsement on how the recommendations should be progressed.

The Ministry will continue working with relevant agencies and regulators as decisions are made on the next steps.

More information

Find out more about the review

Solar Regulatory Review - Full Report

Solar Regulatory Review - Summary Report

Getting Government off roofs, letting sun shine on Kiwi solar - Ministerial press releaseopen_in_new

Ministerial release - Getting Government off roofs, letting sun shine on Kiwi solaropen_in_new