Solar review launched to cut cost and complexity
7 May 2026
The Ministry for Regulation has launched a Sector Review into the installation of residential and small to medium‑scale solar, with the aim of reducing unnecessary cost, delay and complexity for households.
For most New Zealand households, installing solar panels could save more than $1,000 a year on power bills. A typical small to medium‑scale solar system costs between $8,500 and $11,500, and can pay for itself over time. Despite this, only around 3–4 percent of New Zealand households currently have solar installed.
Installing solar in New Zealand can take months. Households and installers often need to navigate requirements across building rules, electricity safety settings and planning controls. Together, these can involve multiple stages of approval and several separate site visits, even for standard, low‑risk installations.
By contrast, in parts of Australia, approval for similar residential solar installations can be completed within 24 hours. More than 30 percent of Australian households now use solar power.
The review will focus on residential and small to medium‑scale solar installations, including rooftop, ground‑mounted and plug‑in systems. It will look at how existing rules operate in practice, where requirements may be duplicating each other, and where they may be adding unnecessary cost and delay.
The review will also examine how regulatory settings overseas manage risk for small‑scale solar, and what lessons may be relevant for New Zealand.
Initial advice will be provided to the Minister for Regulation later this year.