Monday marked the launch of a nationwide campaign for local councils, individuals and businesses to embrace solar power.
The Solar Promise is an initiative from the Nelson City Council, Nelson Environment Centre and SolarCity, which aims to combat the rising cost of electricity and oil depletion by making solar power moreaffordable to all New Zealanders.
Nine leaders, including Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule, were in Wellington for a meeting, led by Nelson Mayor Aldo Miccio, to discuss solar options for their communities.
Hastings District Council is already reviewing Nelson's Solar Saver Scheme to find ways to start a similar system here.
Mr Miccio said a 2008 feasibility study showed the Government's solar grant alone was not enough to help communities go solar.
"The study was clear; families want the immediate cash benefits from solar's savings but they need to spread the cost of solar for it to be affordable.
"From these needs, the Solar Saver Scheme was born - an innovative rates-based financing mechanism to help homeowners spread the cost of going solar."
Nelson City Council chose to waive solar resource consents, in order to further reduce barriers to installing solar power systems.
"The Solar Saver Scheme has been a huge success for Nelson.
"In the scheme's first year, Nelson families put more solar systems on their roofs than the whole of Auckland City, immediately getting up to one week's free power every month."
Mr Miccio asked councils to include the Solar Saver Scheme in this year's long-term planning process. SolarCity CEO Andrew Booth said the Solar Promise had come at a time where people needed it most, with oil and energy prices constantly on the rise.
"Few challenges facing our families and communities are more urgent than the rising cost of power for our homes, and the twin crisis of climate change and oil depletion. "New Zealand has a world-class solar resource yet only 35,000 New Zealand homes have solar.
"Councils have a central role in tackling climate change and they are well placed to help New Zealand meet its renewable energy targets, as well as create jobs and reduce energy bills for people."
