Solar innovation
Multiple Trading Trial
We’re proud that this ground-breaking trial is the first of its kind running in the New Zealand electricity market. We hope it will help shift the dial towards a more flexible, competitive electricity market for all New Zealanders.
In 2022, we found that tenants with solar panels were only using about one-third of the solar energy generated. This is because the amount of solar energy generated is usually more than residents are able to use at the time.
The excess solar energy is then exported back to the grid at rates significantly lower than retail tariffs, providing only small gains to tenants depending on their provider’s buy back rate.
In 2022, we partnered with Ara Ake – New Zealand’s Future Energy Centre, to establish an innovative solution known as a Multiple Trading Relationships (MTR) trial.
The MTR aims to address the issue by:
- Allowing Kāinga Ora to monetise the excess solar sent back to the grid and use the funds to benefit a wider group of tenants, including those without solar.
- Allowing tenants to continue using as much solar energy as they can, and to continue purchasing additional electricity from their retailer of choice.
- Between April – September 2024, we introduced 180 homes in Wellington into the trial.
- In the trial, information on the electricity imported and exported from the home will be split (see image below). This means tenants continue using their choice of retailer for their electricity supply and any excess solar electricity will be sold by retailer Paua to the People on behalf of Kāinga Ora.
- Kāinga Ora will be able to test how well this solution works in practice and forecast potential revenue and solar purchasing options if it were to be scaled up.
- Such an arrangement is not currently permitted under the Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010 (the Code), as each ICP must be registered to just one retailer. To enable this trial, we needed the Electricity Authority to grant Electricity Code exemptions for our trial partners.
This solution has potential benefits beyond Kāinga Ora and social housing, enabling owners of distributed energy to maximise the value of their electricity.
Through the trial, we’re aiming to provide evidence that enables the electricity market regulator and key sector participants to make changes to better meet the future needs of New Zealanders.
It’s taken time to bring this complex trial to life, and we’re grateful to our partners for their support and shared vision. Also, to the Electricity Authority for granting the exemptions needed to run this trial in the market.
- Ara Ake
- Paua to the People
- Bluecurrent
- Wellington Electricity
- Intelihub
Allume SolShare
We’re proud to have brought world-leading solar sharing technology to New Zealand, with tenants in Whangarei the first to benefit.
Many Kāinga Ora tenants now live in apartment complexes as we strive to make better use of our land, replacing older state homes with more warm and dry homes.
As we began installing solar on our standalone homes, we recognised an opportunity to provide solar energy to tenants in some of our complexes but were restricted by the lack of existing technology.
To overcome this, we looked overseas and introduced the unique Allume SolShare system, enabling behind-the-meter sharing of rooftop solar on multi-tenant buildings in New Zealand for the first time.
SolShare shares solar energy from a single rooftop array on an apartment building, directing it to where the demand is within the building.
The system monitors when an apartment is using energy and will direct solar power to it to reduce electricity bills as much as possible. This can increase the amount of solar used in the building by up to 50% compared to individual systems.
The beauty of the technology is that it doesn’t restrict a tenant’s choice of electricity retailer, and there’s no additional billing services or platforms, so nothing changes other than their power bill.
The system has successful been installed on Kāinga Ora apartments in Whangārei, Christchurch and Hamilton, with a South Auckland installation due early 2025.
Kāinga Ora brings unique solar sharing system to Northland
New Kāinga Ora housing complex offers unique solar technology
Kuo fakafo‘ou ‘a e peesí: 9 ʻAokosi 2024