New Zealand Solar Background

Is New Zealand moving towards solar energy?

New Zealand’s solar generation hit a new peak on 6 March 2025, with 128 megawatts (MW) produced, setting a national record. The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko reported that this historic achievement signals a continued shift toward solar energy in the country’s electricity grid.

What will New Zealand's future solar energy look like?

New Zealand’s committed future solar generation capacity will increase by 652 MW with these projects, reinforcing the country’s move toward a cleaner, renewable energy system. Smaller-scale solar systems in residential, commercial, and small business sectors are rapidly increasing their contribution to New Zealand’s renewable energy efforts.

Does New Zealand have a solar atlas?

In New Zealand the uptake of solar energy has increased substantially, but the relative contribution to the overall energy mix is still small. Previous research efforts on the solar resource across the country are revisited with improved satellite-modelled data from Solargis to derive a solar atlas for the country.

Why is solar energy important in New Zealand?

The utilisation of solar resources has become of utmost importance for the transition of the global, carbon intensive economy. In New Zealand the uptake of solar energy has increased substantially, but the relative contribution to the overall energy mix is still small.