The Bay of Plenty's high sunshine hours and high electricity prices make solar energy a smart choice for homeowners in the region who want to beat the rising cost of power.
Over the past 20 years power prices have gone up more than 150 per cent. According to government figures homeowners in Tauranga pay 13 per cent more for power than the average price across New Zealand.
While many Kiwis love the idea of taking back control of their energy costs by going solar, the price of buying and installing a system has been enough to stop most from actually doing anything about it. Now that's all changing thanks to solarcity, New Zealand's leading energy services company, which has a smart new way of going solar, without the cost of the panels.
Rather than buying a solar system, which can cost up to $17,000 for an average home, solarcity has come up with an affordable way to buy clean solar energy, generated on your roof by solar panels that the company owns and manages.
You simply pay a low, fixed monthly fee for its solarZero energy service providing inflation-free solar energy and improved home energy efficiency.
That fee is locked in guaranteeing the price you pay will stay the same for the whole of the the 20-year agreement (unless there are any changes to gst).
solarcity CEO Andrew Booth says the company's solarZero service can help Bay of Plenty families beat the rising price of power and help them save money on their energy bills over the long term.
"We're making it possible for many homeowners to switch to solar electricity for their daytime power needs at a price that is less than what they are currently paying their energy retailer.
"Not only are we making solar energy available to you at an affordable price but we'll also be working closely with you to improve your home's energy efficiency. We're all about helping you to save power and save money."
Solar is generated during the day and homes stay connected to the grid so they have power at night and when the weather is bad.
The solarcity team will assess your home's energy needs to work out how many solar panels will be needed to power you during the day. If you're a high power user there is also an option to add the latest battery technology from Panasonic to maximise your solar use. Adding battery storage allows you to store surplus solar power generated during the day so it can be used at night and when grid power prices are high.
Like the solar panels, the battery is owned and managed by solarcity so there are no capital costs - you just pay a different monthly fee for this service which is called solarZero+.
"Solar is taking off around the world and now we've made it simple and affordable for Kiwis to join the switch to clean energy."
Escape high power prices, contact solarcity on 0800 11 66 55 or visit solarcity.co.nz