Orion, MainPower, EA Networks or Alpine Energy approves your connection and your export limit. Find yours.
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Canterbury regional solar guide
Solar in Christchurch and Canterbury: what is different here.
Cold winters, long-run metal roofs and four main lines companies. Here is what that means for your quote, and which of our guides to read first.
Winter heating runs into the evening. Daytime use, hot water and an EV matter more than roof size.
If your long-run or tile roof is due for work in the next few years, do that before the panels go on. See the tile roof and flat roof guides.
Local electricity networks
Which lines company are you on?
Your lines company approves the solar connection and sets how much power you can export. Canterbury has four main ones, and the rivers are a good first guide. To be sure, ask your power retailer: they can tell you from the ICP number on your bill.
| If you live in | Your network is | Home solar export limit |
|---|---|---|
| North of the Waimakariri River: Waimakariri, Hurunui, Kaikōura | MainPower | 10 kW default, lower where the network is constrained |
| Christchurch, Banks Peninsula and Selwyn, between the Waimakariri and Rakaia rivers | Orion | Up to 10 kW per phase where Orion’s studies support it; some addresses lower |
| Ashburton District, between the Rakaia and Rangitata rivers | EA Networks | Up to 10 kW for compliant single-phase connections, assessed case by case |
| Timaru, Mackenzie and Waimate districts | Alpine Energy | 10 kW default since 1 May 2026, lower in congested areas |
Orion
From 1 October 2026, Orion only approves solar with an inverter that can handle dynamic export limits. Check the exact model and any gateway before you order. Orion aims to approve applications of 15 kW or less within five working days.
Our Orion export guideMainPower
No application fee for systems under 10 kW. The inverter must meet AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 and be on the Clean Energy Council’s approved list. MainPower suggests your installer fills in the forms.
Our MainPower export guideEA Networks
EA Networks says 10 kW is not a default: every application is assessed. It lists export as congested around Lauriston, Methven, Mt Hutt, Overdale (including Rakaia) and on the 22 kV lines east and west of Tinwald, and says a pending application will add Mt Somers, Montalto and the Ashburton Gorge and lakes area. The application fee for 10 kW or less is $310, or $140 on the simplified route.
Our EA Networks export guideAlpine Energy
Alpine raised its default home export limit from 5 kW to 10 kW on 1 May 2026. Existing 5 kW customers can move to 10 kW at no cost, and 10 kW applications are processed within 10 business days.
Our Alpine Energy export guideFurther south, Oamaru and the Waitaki district, including Kurow, Otematata and Omarama, are on Network Waitaki rather than Alpine Energy. Its rules are in our Network Waitaki export limits guide. Dunedin, Central Otago, Wānaka and Queenstown are on Aurora Energy, covered in our Aurora Energy export limits guide.
What this means for your quote.
If an installer’s savings forecast assumes you can export 10 kW, ask whether that is approved for your address or just assumed. On a constrained connection, a smaller system or more daytime use at home can beat a bigger system that gets throttled.
Sources: each network’s published solar or distributed-generation guidance, checked 12 October 2026: Orion, MainPower, EA Networks, Alpine Energy. Network areas: Alpine Energy FAQs. Rules change; your installer should confirm the current requirements when applying.
Homes and power use
A Christchurch townhouse and a rural shed are different jobs.
Access, mounting, cable runs and network work all change from one property to the next. So does the question of whether extra panels, moving loads into the day or a battery makes sense, because Canterbury winters push heating into the evening.
Use these guides for the main decision
Start with these guides.
Canterbury · Solar dataHow much power does solar make in Christchurch?
Month-by-month output for seven Canterbury towns and every roof direction.
Canterbury · Solar dataHow many Canterbury homes have solar?Official 2026 figures by lines company: 14,503 homes, 5.1% uptake, bigger systems and battery numbers.
New Zealand · Rural propertiesSolar for Lifestyle Blocks in NZ: House Roof, Shed or Ground Mount?Compare house roofs, sheds and ground-mounted solar for NZ lifestyle blocks, including power connections, trenching and Canterbury site questions.
Canterbury · Working farmsSolar on a working farm: dairy sheds and irrigationMatch panels to milk cooling, hot water and pumps, and what changes above 10 kW on each Canterbury network.
Canterbury · Baches and holiday homesSolar for a bach or holiday homeWhy a bach exports most of its solar, the payback on a 3 kW system at Akaroa, and export limits at hut settlements.
New Zealand · New buildsBuilding a Solar-Ready Home: What to Decide Before the Walls ClosePlanning a new home in NZ? Agree the roof layout, cable routes, switchboard, battery options and handover records before the walls are lined.
Canterbury · BatteriesWill a solar battery last the night in winter?Overnight runtime, heat pump loads and whether June solar in Christchurch can refill a home battery.
New Zealand · Using your solarSolar Hot Water: Timer, Diverter or Battery?Compare timers, solar diverters and batteries for heating water with solar PV in NZ. Check cylinder compatibility, winter top-ups and control priorities.
Christchurch roofsIs my roof suitable for solar?Direction, shade, usable space and the checks hillside properties need.
Orion network · Export paymentsOrion’s winter peak export creditThe 6c a kWh credit: exact hours, who qualifies, what panels and batteries can earn, and how to check your bill.
Election 2026 · Loans and grantsShould you wait for a solar subsidy after the election?What each party has promised, when it could start, and what a year of waiting costs a Canterbury home.
New Zealand · Solar dataWhich regions have the most home solar?Official 2026 rankings for all 16 regions and 38 local network areas. Tasman leads on 9.4%; Canterbury is 7th.
New Zealand · Solar dataHow many homes install solar each month?Official monthly figures since 2013. July 2026 set the record, with 1,531 homes connecting solar.
Canterbury · Power billsCan solar get your power bill to zero?The daily charge stays whatever your panels make. See how many kWh of export it takes to cover it, month by month.
Orion connectionsSolar export limits and approvalCheck your allowance, application steps and the October 2026 inverter requirement.
MainPower connections · North CanterburyMainPower solar export limits and approvalThe 10 kW default, the 168 connections capped at 0, 2 or 5 kW, fees and how to check your address.
Alpine Energy connections · South CanterburyAlpine Energy solar export limits and approvalThe 10 kW default since May 2026, the 11 export-congested areas, approval times and how to raise an old 5 kW limit.
EA Networks connections · Mid CanterburyEA Networks solar export limits and approvalWhy 10 kW is not a default, the six congested areas, the $140 and $310 fees, and checking capacity before you order.
Network Waitaki connections · Oamaru and WaitakiNetwork Waitaki solar export limits and approvalThe 10 kW limit, no known congestion, the $160 fee, and why exports earn no peak credit from the lines company.
Aurora Energy connections · Dunedin, Central Otago, QueenstownAurora Energy solar export limits and approvalThe 10 kW limit, the approved-inspector application route, and the 3c to 7.5c winter peak export credit.
Wellington Electricity connections · Wellington, Hutt, PoriruaWellington Electricity solar export limits and approvalFlexible limits instead of a fixed 10 kW, the congestion charge above 5 kW, the $160 fees and the online application.
Powerco connections · Taranaki, Tauranga, Manawatū, WairarapaPowerco solar export limits and approvalThe 10 kW single-phase limit, no fee up to 10 kW, the constrained transformer list and how to raise an old 5 kW approval.
Vector connections · AucklandVector solar export limits and approvalThe dynamic 10 kW limit, the 2.5 kW fallback without a CSIP inverter online, fees and approval times.
CostSolar panel cost in New ZealandEECA benchmarks, price per watt and a worked Christchurch quote check.
SizingWhat size system do I need?Use the household load, roof and future plans rather than a regional rule of thumb.
Battery decisionBattery or no battery?Separate evening use and backup value from the solar-only return.
Power plansSolar buy-back ratesCompare the whole bill, then confirm the Canterbury network for the address.
RoofSolar on metal and Colorsteel roofsCondition, fixings, corrosion, wind and warranty questions.
RoofSolar on concrete and clay tile roofsTile hooks, cracked tiles, quote extras and when to re-roof first.
RoofSolar on flat and membrane roofsTilt frames, ballast, membrane warranties and drainage.
ChecklistCommon solar mistakesUse one consistent project brief when comparing installer responses.
Canterbury coverage
Tell us where the property is.
- Christchurch
- Halswell
- Rolleston
- Lincoln
- Rangiora
- Kaiapoi
- Waimakariri
- Selwyn
- Ashburton
- Timaru
- Darfield
- Leeston
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