Your solar questions, answered.

Panels turn sunlight into DC power and an inverter converts it to AC. Your home uses that solar first, sends any excess to the grid for credits, and draws from the grid at night. No battery needed.

Five parts: panels on the roof, an inverter near your switchboard, mounting rails, wiring and isolators, and a monitoring app. Optional extras are a battery and a smart meter for accurate export tracking.

The NZ default, and about 99% of home solar. Panels power your home, excess flows to the grid for credits, and you draw from the grid at night. No battery. The inverter shuts off in an outage for safety.

Yes. Auckland gets 41% more sunshine than Berlin, and Germany has 100x more solar installed. Most NZ homeowners see payback in 6 to 8 years, then much lower power bills for another 17+ years.

Yes, at reduced output. Panels still generate from diffuse light, and NZ's UV stays high even under cloud. They don't stop working just because the sun is behind a cloud.

Yes, just less so. NZ winter output runs roughly 40 to 50% of summer. Panels actually prefer the cold; the limits are shorter days and a lower sun angle. A well-sized system still saves year-round.

Not by default. Grid-tied solar shuts off automatically in an outage so it can't electrocute linesmen working on the network. To keep power running, you need a battery with backup capability.

Most NZ roofs are fine. Ideal is north-facing with a 15 to 30 degree pitch, but east and west work well too. Heavy shading from trees or buildings is the bigger problem. Our report checks your exact roof.

Rarely. Modern panels are sleek, all-black and sit close to the roof line, and most people walk past without noticing. If looks matter, ask for premium black-on-black panels and tidy cable management.

A typical 6.6kW system is $14,000 to $15,000 fully installed. Costs have dropped over 75% in 15 years. Most homeowners pay it off in 6 to 8 years, and the panels last 25+ years.

Most Kiwis can. Westpac, ANZ, ASB and BNZ all offer green loans at 0 to 1% for the first few years, up to $80,000 at some banks, and Kiwibank pays a $2,000 cashback. On a 0% or 1% loan, your power savings can cover much of the repayment from the first month.

Most homeowners save 50 to 80%. A typical 6.6kW system is worth around $1,500 to $2,500 a year, depending on your roof, usage and export rate. Your report gives the exact numbers for your home.

No, and none are planned. There is no government subsidy or rebate for home solar in NZ. Solar pays for itself through bill savings, and 5 major banks offer solar green loans, 4 of them at 0 to 1%.

Yes. Westpac, ANZ, ASB and BNZ all offer solar green loans at 0 to 1% for the first 3 to 5 years, most up to $80,000. Kiwibank instead pays a $2,000 cashback on a standard rate loan. All five need your mortgage with that bank.

A bit, but the real money is elsewhere. Export rates run roughly 8c to 25c per kWh, with the top rates paid only in limited peak windows, while power you use yourself saves 30c or more. Size the system for your own use, then pick a retailer with a strong export rate.

Three levers: run the big appliances while the sun is up, pick a retailer with a strong export rate, and add a battery if you're usually out during the day.

About 15 panels (6.6kW) for a typical NZ home. Smaller homes may need 10, larger ones 20+. Your report works out the exact number from your roof space and power usage.

String inverters are cheaper and most common in NZ: one box converts every panel's output. Microinverters sit under each panel, cost more, but handle shade better and isolate faults. Simple roof, string. Shaded or complex roof, micro.

Buy if you can. Leasing locks you into long contracts, complicates selling your home, and costs more over the system's life. With green loans at 0 to 1%, even Kiwis without savings can effectively buy.

There's no single best. Tier-1 makers like Canadian Solar, Trina, Jinko and REC dominate NZ installs. Look for a 25-year product warranty (not just a performance one) and at least 10 years of workmanship cover.

Yes, and an EV is the best way to monetise solar. Charging free at home instead of paying 30c/kWh at a public charger transforms the payback. EV owners usually go a little bigger, around 8 to 10kW.

You can, but the maths is trickier: the savings go to the tenant paying the power bill, not the landlord paying for the panels. Solar can still justify higher rent or attract better tenants.

Sometimes, but it's almost always cheaper to size it right the first time. Adding panels can mean replacing the inverter, new consents and a second install bill. Ask for an inverter with spare capacity.

Most Kiwis don't, at least not straight away. If you're home during the day and use your solar as it's generated, a battery adds cost for little gain. If you're out all day or want outage backup, it starts to pay.

Yes. Most modern systems are battery-ready, so one can be retrofitted without replacing the inverter. Older systems may need a hybrid inverter added. Mention any future battery plans at quote stage.

It depends on your usage. A 10kWh battery (the typical home size) covers an evening of lights, fridge, TV and charging. Heat pumps or EV charging drain it fast. Most homes use one to stretch solar into the evening, not to leave the grid.

During the day your panels feed the house first, and the excess that would have been exported charges the battery instead. After sunset you draw from the battery, then from the grid once it's empty.

Technically yes, but it's expensive and rarely worth it. Covering winter needs a big array and heavy battery capacity. A hybrid system (solar, battery, grid backup) gets most of the independence for a fraction of the cost.

About 4 to 8 weeks from signing to panels on the roof, though the install itself is only 1 to 2 days. The slow part is grid-connection paperwork with your distributor, which is largely out of the installer's hands.

Almost none. Wash them once a year, glance at the monitoring app now and then, and watch for inverter warning lights. Most quality panels carry a 25-year manufacturer warranty.

Soft brush, mild detergent and a normal hose, ideally on a cool morning. No high-pressure washers (they can void the warranty), no abrasive scrubbers, and never walk on the panels. Once a year is plenty, and a window cleaner will usually do it for $50 to $100.

25 to 30 years. Panels degrade about 0.5% a year, so a 20-year-old panel still makes around 90% of its original output. Inverters last 10 to 15 years and are usually replaced once.

Yes. Most insurers want to know solar is on the roof, though it rarely changes your premium. Your installer gives you an installation certificate to send them. Tell them up front to avoid claim disputes later.

Your home insurance usually covers it, treated like any other roof damage, and the panel is replaced with the same model. System-wide faults like inverter failure fall under the installer's workmanship warranty.

Usually not. Modern inverters restart themselves once the grid stabilises, normally within minutes. If yours is still off 10 minutes after power returns, check the screen for warnings and call your installer rather than fiddling with it.

Watch for door-to-door sales, prices that look too good, and 'today only' pressure. Get every promise in writing, check the installer is EWRB registered, and read Google reviews independently. No honest company loses your business over a week's thought.

Usually yes: a north, east or west-facing roof, some daytime power use, and 5+ more years in the home. Heavy shade, very low daytime usage, or a short stay weaken the case. The quiz answers it for your roof in 3 minutes.

Enter your address, answer a few quick questions, and we build a personalised solar report from your actual roof. Compare quotes from up to 3 vetted local installers when you're ready.

No. You're matched with up to 3 vetted local installers, never a public free-for-all. It's a small, pre-screened shortlist, not your number sold around town, and you choose who to talk to.

Every installer is EWRB registered, a SEANZ member or Master Electricians certified, has at least 12 months of solar experience, and has reviews and references we check. If they don't pass, they don't get your number.

Two paths: compare quotes from up to 3 vetted installers, or run the 3D solar calculator first and decide later. Both are free, and there's no pressure either way.