Solar options for home in 2022

Forums › Renewable energy (solar, wind and others) › Solar options for home in 2022 - 2026

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2050 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1541

#3514670 27-Jul-2026 13:13

Nice to see production trending up, where we maxed out at +/- 5kw peak about a month ago for about 90-120 minutes (midday - 2pm), we are now getting into the 6s during this period, hitting 5s by 11am. Still sitting mid-late 30s for KWH production over a day but will hopefully get to 40s soon and we will look at maybe switching off heating 24/7 mid-late August.

Have sent to our retailer request to go to time variable plan (after they forced us back to standard plan when we got solar), was told its 8-9 weeks for the meter change to occur (which based on last time, is a remote configuration change). When did such long times become the norm for a service provider? For what is likely to take less than a minute to do (plans must be pre-loaded, just push to the meter and update), seems ludicrous. Could likely switch retailers faster

dantheperson

241 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 68

#3514699 27-Jul-2026 14:30

sen8or:

Have sent to our retailer request to go to time variable plan (after they forced us back to standard plan when we got solar), was told its 8-9 weeks for the meter change to occur (which based on last time, is a remote configuration change). When did such long times become the norm for a service provider? For what is likely to take less than a minute to do (plans must be pre-loaded, just push to the meter and update), seems ludicrous. Could likely switch retailers faster

Yeah switch to octopus, they manage TOU plans in their billing system based on smart meter data, AFAICT, no need to configure anything on the meter.

demeter23

168 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 25

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#3514726 27-Jul-2026 15:40

We have our system partly installed now, just waiting for delivery of the panels which are a couple of weeks out. Everything else is in ready, so just a case of waiting now.

Meter change is booked for August 10th. Surprised they're changing it, new house (2 years old) so thought the existing meter would be capable. Clearly not!!

System is 18x475w panels, connected to a sigenergy inverter. Will look at a battery in about 8-12 months time once we have some more data on our usage/consumption.

Looking forward to contributing to the thread when we're up and running!!

lxsw20

3798 posts

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#3514727 27-Jul-2026 15:54

Our meter is 6 months old, the guy had to come and reprogram it for export, but they didn't change it.

Would have thought they could do it remotely in this day in age.

Seasport

80 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 29

#3514733 27-Jul-2026 16:23

lxsw20:

Our meter is 6 months old, the guy had to come and reprogram it for export, but they didn't change it.

Would have thought they could do it remotely in this day in age.

Great stuff! Welcome aboard. Similar system to our setup (21 panels). We had to get a new meter as well. We're with PowerEdge.

By the way, there is a separate thread specifically on SigEnergy if you're interested in that.

mrdrifter

591 posts

Ultimate Geek
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#3514774 27-Jul-2026 19:30

The rates some of you are getting from poweredge are amazing. The best they offer me in north Wellington is 31.6c peak, 25.3c night and 17c export, those rates with the daily charge don't make it worth changing.

Seasport

80 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 29

#3514787 27-Jul-2026 20:24

Yeah, I'm sure it relates to the energy company's rates. They must have some sort of sophisticated model that works out whether they're making a profit or not! Maybe they use AI to work it all out. Maybe they use AI to run the whole business! (That's what I'd try first 😊 )

richrdh18

240 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 110

#3514895 28-Jul-2026 10:02

mrdrifter:

The rates some of you are getting from poweredge are amazing. The best they offer me in north Wellington is 31.6c peak, 25.3c night and 17c export, those rates with the daily charge don't make it worth changing.

I used to think the same before changing to PowerEdge but actually it is their daily rate and export rate that matter the most. Why, because over the summer you generate so much excess power and end up in credit, just this past summer we were over $700 in credit, so much so that the actual cost of the power (which we've used this winter) doesn't really become a factor. We are locked in for 3 years now with PE, so we'll see what changes/increases there are at the end of this contract.

demeter23

168 posts

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+1 received by user: 25

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#3514897 28-Jul-2026 10:07

I got a price from Poweredge. Daily rate of $2.07, day import 43.2c and night import 34.6c. Export at 17c (all incl. GST). I thought that was quite expensive.

HarmLessSolutions

1293 posts

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+1 received by user: 919

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#3514900 28-Jul-2026 10:33

demeter23:

I got a price from Poweredge. Daily rate of $2.07, day import 43.2c and night import 34.6c. Export at 17c (all incl. GST). I thought that was quite expensive.

Worth getting rates from Ecotricity. In our case (Taranaki, Powerco) the daily charge is lower than that, both peak and off peak supply charges are comparable, off peak export is slightly higher but peak export is the real winner if you have the ability to export during the peaks.

I track our usage through Ecotricity, Octopus and Power Edge. Ecotricity is marginally better than PowerEdge but if we had battery export ability it would be a clear win to Ecotricity.

Ecotricity's invoicing system is very convoluted so difficult to translate to real life economics and unfortunately much of this isn't made clear until you've actually got an invoice to evaluate your own system's benefits from.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

richrdh18

240 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 110

#3514901 28-Jul-2026 10:48

demeter23:

I got a price from Poweredge. Daily rate of $2.07, day import 43.2c and night import 34.6c. Export at 17c (all incl. GST). I thought that was quite expensive.

Wow, must depend on where you are in the country, I'm with PE and our daily is $1.20 and flat rate power rate is .32c. Locked in for 3 years from Sep '25

lxsw20

3798 posts

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#3514905 28-Jul-2026 11:08

Personally I'm finding Electric Kiwi to be the best deal for us, the peak rate is extortion (almost 60c kwh) but the free hour of power just before the AM peak charges the battery to get us through AM and solar or grid charged battery on the bad days gets us through the evening. Export isn't as good as Ecotricity but I'm more interested in self use.

HarmLessSolutions

1293 posts

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#3515393 30-Jul-2026 19:52

Our installer describing the state of NZ's solar sector. https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2019045585/solar-installers-warning-of-looming-worker-shortage

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

mark0x01

35 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 7

#3515401 30-Jul-2026 20:08

In the race to the bottom, these industry players expect someone else to train their staff and then they try to move the responsibility for the "issues" created by poorly trained, and underpaid staff, on to someone else, or they just use fixed price contractors and then blame them.

Whatever happened to decent companies who trained staff and then payed them well enough so that they stayed? In my experience they are long gone.

When a contract installer shows up with no previous experience and no training on the equipment they are to install who do I blame??

Homeassistant tinkerer and vintage computer enthusiast

HarmLessSolutions

1293 posts

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+1 received by user: 919

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#3515409 30-Jul-2026 20:52

mark0x01:

In the race to the bottom, these industry players expect someone else to train their staff and then they try to move the responsibility for the "issues" created by poorly trained, and underpaid staff, on to someone else, or they just use fixed price contractors and then blame them.

Whatever happened to decent companies who trained staff and then payed them well enough so that they stayed? In my experience they are long gone.

When a contract installer shows up with no previous experience and no training on the equipment they are to install who do I blame??

The problem exists across all trades and can be traced to the abandonment of our once world leading apprenticeship system. Combine that with the hollowing out of our workforce as they head across the Tasman in great numbers and we have a situation that is not easily rectified.

Government policies have resulted in both of these contributing factors so why shouldn't they now be expected to help in turning the boat around? The market will do their best to patch up the shortfalls but as we well know the market isn't the answer if long term solutions are needed.

https://www.harmlesssolutions.co.nz/

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