National is proposing a Home Energy Fund that would let homeowners access low-interest finance for solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation, with repayments collected through rates.
The Crown would inject $7 million for a 20% stake in the fund, with councils and the Local Government Funding Agency providing the rest. National says the scheme is based on proposals from Local Government New Zealand and Rewiring Aotearoa, and expects councils to opt in voluntarily.
Loans would be secured against properties, with Crown and council backing intended to deliver lower interest rates. Homeowners would need at least 20% equity to qualify.
Energy spokesperson Simeon Brown said just 3% of New Zealand households have solar, compared with 9% in the United States and one in three in Australia. "In a more volatile world and with more severe weather events, supporting households to have greater control over their power will help more families store affordable energy when prices spike, and keep the lights on during outages," he said.
Local government spokesperson Simon Watts said "the biggest barrier to solar, batteries and other home energy upgrades is the significant upfront cost".
National also plans to streamline planning rules to allow rooftop solar, farm-scale solar, small batteries and micro-hydro as permitted activities. RMA Reform spokesperson Chris Bishop cited instances where councils have required discharge consents for rainwater runoff from ground-mounted panels, calling it "the kind of nonsense we'll end".
Labour energy spokesperson Megan Woods welcomed the solar push but questioned its reach. "Solar is the future and an important part of our energy security, so anything that makes it easier and cheaper to install is welcome," she said. "The scheme put together by Rewiring Aotearoa and Local Government is great if you already own your home, but there's no guarantee it will help renters and families who are struggling with their power bills right now."
Woods criticised National for what she described as a shift after years of fossil fuel support. "National has been focused on reopening offshore oil and gas exploration and promoting imported LNG to manage energy shortages. Now with an election approaching, they're trying to present a different vision. They could have done this years ago," she said. She also accused the party of cutting Warmer Kiwi Homes funding while power prices and supply uncertainty worsened.