Solar pays back fast if you:
- Have high daytime power use — work-from-home, EV charging during the day, pool pump, dehumidifier
- Live somewhere with good sun — Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury all have 1,400+ peak sun hours/yr
- Have a north-facing roof with no shading from trees or neighbours
- Are with a retailer that pays a decent buy-back rate (Octopus, Frank, Ecotricity tend to lead)
- Plan to stay in the home for 6+ years
Solar is a poor fit if you:
- Are out at work all day with the house empty (most generation gets exported at low buy-back rates)
- Have a south-facing or shaded roof
- Live somewhere with poor sun (Wellington and the West Coast both struggle in winter)
- Are renting — you can't take the panels with you
Run the proper numbers with our Solar & PV Calculator — it factors in your region's actual peak-sun hours, roof orientation and current buy-back rates.