Solar Installations Rocket Skyward

Solar Installations Rocket Skyward

But battery innovation can help it grow further

Auckland, 02 October 2013 – In the lead up to its annual smart energy expo, new data from the Sustainable Electricity Association of New Zealand shows more and more Kiwis are embracing solar technology, with on and off grid capacity surpassing 8,231 Kilowatts in the past two years, equivalent to bi-annual growth of 370%

Brendan Winitana, Chairman of the Sustainable Electricity Association of New Zealand (SEANZ) says that the solar energy sector, currently worth around $40 million pa, is growing rapidly.

“Revenue is growing at a rate of 100%, and exports are currently 25% of total revenues. We are seeing strong enquiry from consumers, and have attracted more installers to the sector. SEANZ membership has grown by more than 50% in the past six months, reflecting the increased installation capacity nationwide.

“The industry is poised for growth. Two key factors are driving it. The first is price. It has never been cheaper to install solar systems and harvest the energy of the sun. The equivalent of 50 solar installations are taking place each month.

“Secondly, it is encouraging to see companies like Vector helping to promote the uptake of distributed generation solar technology with attractive packages that require little up-front cost from the customer, and completely remove the technology risk.”

SEANZ’s bi-annual survey shows that the majority (77%) of solar generating capacity is on-grid, enabling the home or business owner to sell any surplus energy back to the grid.

Winitana says that solar is an increasingly attractive option; “The systems start to generate profit in as little as seven years, and with solar systems usually lasting around 25 years or more, that’s 18 years of profits to look forward to.”

Improvements in battery storage is the next innovation required for solar power systems to go mainstream and become ubiquitous. In the case of most current solar systems, power generated during the day is sold back to the grid as it is unable to be stored for use by the homeowner during peak times.

“Battery innovation will make a tremendous difference to overall load on the grid,” says Winitana.

“It will reduce consumers’ cost of electricity as they access stored energy that their home systems have generated and will also further support the uptake of electric vehicles.”

SEANZ Smart Energy Expo 2013 (Te Papa, Wellington) is showcasing that latest technology and solutions to beat those every increasing power bills - from energy efficiency measures, integrated solar solutions to storage to smart grid developments.

When: Friday 4 and Saturday 5 October, 10 am to 5 pm daily
Where: Te Papa, Wellington

For more information on the SEANZ Smart Energy Expo visit: www.seanz.org.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media