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How to guide

Powering your home with solar

Installing solar at home is one of the most effective ways to lower your electricity bills, protect yourself from rising energy prices, reduce your household’s carbon footprint and boost energy resilience.

This guide walks you through the key steps to get started, supported by free, independent advice from the Queenstown Electrification Accelerator.

If you’re a renter, check out the QEA Solar for Renters resources for guidance tailored to tenants and landlords.

Step by Step Solar

Optional Step: Check out who has solar near you

Modern solar panels are suitable for even the most shady suburbs like Fernhill and Arthur’s Point. Zoom into your street on our Local Solar Map to check out how many people around you are already benefitting from solar.

Optional Step: Work out your electricity use

Gather 12 months of electricity bills and note down the amount of electricity you used each month (in kWh), and its cost. This will help your installer understand your usage, and helps to put your projected generation into perspective when you receive your quote.

1. Gather Quotes

Solar quotes often vary due to differences in system sizes, equipment and warranties offered. Get quotes from at least 2-3 solar installers and give them the QEA’s Solar Quote Template so that you can easily compare the quotes you receive.

2. Choose the installer

Compare the quotes using the template. Use the Solar Quotes Explained document to navigate the differences between quotes. Ask any additional questions to your installers, and choose the one that fits your circumstances best. Reach out to us if you need someone impartial to talk to.

3. Solar financing

Once you have chosen your preferred solar installer and system, evaluate the financing options available to you, such as 0% to 1%interest green loans. View the QEA’s Solar Finance Guide to find out more. Confirm your finance before confirming the install with your chosen installer.

4. Install & Monitor

Installing the system normally takes 1-2 days for a standard installation. Then, you can track performance via your easy-to-use monitoring system*. It’s a good idea to check your electricity bills frequently to ensure the system performs as expected. *Fair warning, this can become addictive.