Who has the hottest home solar plan?

The National Party (with its Home Energy Fund) and Labour (with Solar Saver) have gone to battle over home solar, each offering similar plans that would incentivise home solar installation through low-interest loans, secured by property, repayable via homeowners’ rates.

Labour’s proposed policy added some flourishes – making the loans available as well through lines companies, paid back via power bills, and offering a $3000 kickstart subsidy for low and middle-income families.

Both parties said they will include regulatory changes to enable ‘plug-in’ solar for renters. Both programmes cover home batteries. And the Nats also committed to allowing home installment without the need for council consents.

Labour’s policy would cost $160 million over four years; National’s programme would co-venture with local government, with Government invrsting $7 million and local government an anticipated $30 million.

It’s amusing to see National now championing incentives for home solar after axing Labour’s programme incentivizing solar cars.

As the Green Party has observed, with all these new cross-party love for solar homes, why not just go ahead and advance the programme now? 

As reported by RNZ, Labour’s energy spokesperson Megan Woods has said Labour “absolutely” would support the Government if it pushed ahead now with its programme. The Greens offered their 15 votes, Even Shane Jones said he was “quite interested”. Only ACT is opposed to solar subsidies. 

Seems like an easy cross-party chip shot!