Solar buy-back rates in New Zealand: compare the whole power plan.

What a solar buy-back rate actually means

Solar panels power the home first. When they produce more electricity than the home is using, the surplus flows through an import-export meter into the local network. The electricity retailer credits that exported energy at its buy-back rate, usually expressed in cents per kilowatt-hour.

New Zealand does not have one universal feed-in tariff. Retailers offer different rates and conditions, and plans can vary by location. Powerswitch maintains an independent comparison page and notes that listed rates exclude GST, so check how any retailer presents its own figure before comparing it with another. [1]

The highest buy-back rate can still produce a higher bill

A retailer can offer an attractive export rate while charging more for power imported during winter evenings, overnight or on a daily basis. That can leave the household worse off even though every exported unit earns more. Add the import charges and daily charges, then subtract the export credits. The result is the number worth comparing. For a worked Christchurch example, see whether solar can get a power bill to zero.

Do not ask, “Who pays the most for solar?” Ask, “Which plan gives this home the lowest total annual bill?”

The export rate carries the most weight for a home that exports most of its output, such as a bach that sits empty much of the year. Our guide to solar on a bach shows how far it moves the payback.

What changed for solar exports in 2026

The Electricity Authority confirmed that large retailers must offer time-of-use import plans and time-varying buy-back plans. These became available from July 2026. Electricity supplied during a busy period can be worth more than electricity supplied when the network already has plenty. [2]

Typical national peak periods are weekday mornings and evenings, although the exact hours and prices belong to each plan. A premium headline price may therefore apply for only a few hours, on certain days or during a particular season. Read the timetable rather than assuming every exported unit earns the headline rate.

Panels only and panels with a battery earn differently

A panel-only system generally exports when the sun is strongest. A battery can charge during the day, supply the home after sunset and, where the system and plan allow it, export during a higher-value period. That does not automatically make the battery profitable. Its purchase price, usable capacity, efficiency, warranty and control settings still have to stack up.

EECA suggests that a flat-rate plan can suit a solar home without a battery, while time-of-use pricing can suit a battery household that can avoid expensive imports or choose when to export. EECA also stresses that self-consuming solar usually saves more per unit than selling it, because buy-back rates are lower than retail import prices. [3]

If storage is part of the decision, read our New Zealand solar battery guide and ask for solar-only and solar-plus-battery figures separately.

Two different plans can land on the same result

Imagine a home that imports 6,000 kWh and exports 3,000 kWh a year. The example below is deliberately simplified and does not represent a current retailer offer. It shows why a higher buy-back rate can lose once import costs are included.

In this example the plans tie before daily charges, time periods and discounts. A small change in import use, export timing or the daily charge would decide the result. That is why a retailer name or one advertised number cannot answer the question for every home.

Canterbury example: the retailer and network do different jobs

The retailer sends the power bill and sets the retail buy-back plan. The local lines company operates the network and manages the connection of distributed generation. Canterbury properties may sit on the Orion, MainPower or EA Networks systems, depending on their location. The installer should identify the correct network and include its connection process in the quote. Lines companies now also credit exports at peak times. On Orion’s network that is 6c a kWh on winter weekday peaks; our guide to Orion’s winter peak export credit explains the hours and how to check it reaches your bill. In Dunedin, Central Otago and Queenstown, Aurora Energy credits 3c to 7.5c a kWh for exports at winter peaks; see our Aurora Energy export limits guide. Charges can run the other way too: in Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Porirua, Wellington Electricity can charge retailers for exports above 5 kW in congested areas, as our Wellington Electricity export limits guide explains.

Export limits can change the value of a large system

In South Canterbury, check our Alpine Energy export limits guide for the named congested areas and Alpine’s peak export credit.

The Electricity Authority's 2026 rules introduced a 10 kW default export limit for straightforward small-scale residential generation. A lines company can use a lower limit where network safety or reliability requires it, and flexible limits may also be used. The limit is about what can flow into the network at one moment; it is not necessarily the same as panel capacity. [4]

For a quote with a large array, large inverter or export-focused battery, ask the installer to show how the model treats clipping, household use, battery charging and the export cap. A larger system can still make sense, but the payback should not assume every available kilowatt can always be sold.

Use this checklist before changing power plans

Powerswitch publishes a solar buy-back comparison, while the Electricity Authority's Billy service can help households compare power plans. Use those services as a current starting point, then verify the plan for your address and meter. [1] [5]

A useful solar quote should show imports, self-use and exports

The assumptions behind a savings forecast should be visible. Ask the installer to state expected annual generation, the share used directly in the home, the share exported, the import and buy-back rates used, and whether prices are assumed to rise. If a battery is included, the model should also state usable capacity, cycling strategy and losses.

Compare that forecast with the New Zealand solar cost guide. If the quote relies on an unusually high export rate for much of its return, test the same system using a more conservative rate and your actual electricity plan.