New Zealand will introduce a default export limit of 10 kW for small rooftop solar and battery systems
The rule aims to standardize export limits across 29 lines companies and help more households supply power to the grid
The change could encourage larger home solar systems and support future technologies such as vehicle-to-grid charging, according to the Electricity Authority
New Zealand’s Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko is introducing new rules to allow more solar and battery systems to export electricity to local distribution networks. The regulator has directed lines companies to set a default export limit of 10 kW for ‘straightforward, small-scale’ distributed generation systems, including rooftop solar and batteries.
The change aims to standardize export settings across the country’s 29 lines companies and allow more small-scale generation and storage systems to supply electricity to local networks.
“Currently about 75,000 households with solar, and more than 14,700 of those with batteries, can feed into local networks. But the amount of electricity they can supply has been capped at levels lower than it needs to be, which means, at times, higher-cost electricity is being used instead of these cheaper sources of power,” shared Electricity Authority General Manager Networks and System Change, Tim Sparks.
Setting a default limit will make the export limit more efficient, according to the authority. Lines companies may set a limit lower than 10 kW in case of safety or reliability concerns. For this, the industry will need to develop assessment tools.
“It could also encourage the installation of larger systems, as people will be clearer from the outset about their potential return on investment for exporting electricity,” said Sparks. The new default export limit of 10 kW is set to come into force from May 2026.
Sparks said the flexible approach helps future-proof regulations and enables the adoption of smarter technologies, including vehicle-to-grid charging that can send electricity from EV batteries back to the network.
Under its Network connections project, the authority says it plans to make distribution networks more efficient, lower costs for consumers, and improve the security and resilience of the electricity supply. The 10 kW export limit forms the first part of Stage 2 of this plan.
The authority plans to further simplify application processes for residential solar review the fees charged for processing grid connection applications. Rules for plug-in solar are also on the anvil.
Last year, in October 2025, New Zealand announced an exemption from the requirement to obtain building consent for rooftop solar panels under its Building Act (see Building Consent Exemption For Rooftop Solar In New Zealand).
At the end of 2025, New Zealand’s total installed renewable energy generation capacity reached 9.06 GW, including 836 MW of solar PV, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).