Market Open

4 Mar 2026 12:17:44

Government ‘kicked the tyres’ on solar subsidies but went with ‘minor’ tweaks instead

Posted: 03 Mar 2026

While the rest of the world races to harness the power of the sun, New Zealand is languishing - as energy prices continue to climb.

An RNZ investigation has found that ministers were presented with clear evidence that rooftop solar is now among the cheapest sources of electricity households can access; that upfront cost is the primary barrier to uptake; and that Australia's rapid expansion was driven by more than $11 billion in state subsidies.

But the coalition government chose not to follow the same path.

Read more on RNZ News.