By now, you've probably heard that we do solar differently by offering a solar subscription. With more than 12,000 systems already set up on our subscription, our track record is proven for delivering renewable and reliable energy. But our big promise to our customers—and the one that gets the most attention— is how we guarantee savings. 

Let's take a look

When calculating how much a solar subscription will save you, there are many variables. It will depend on where you live in New Zealand, how many panels will fit on your roof, and how you live your day-to-day life. It can get confusing. That's where we come in handy, taking the guesswork out of long-term power bills. We're so confident you'll be better off with our solar subscription when comparing like-for-like energy usage over twenty years we're giving you a savings guarantee.

Solar savings guarantee

With our solar subscription, customers pay no hardware or installation costs, just a monthly subscription fee with top-up electricity from Ecotricity at price-protected rates.  And that's it. Instead of finding a hefty lump sum or going into debt to purchase your solar system, we give you a simple, affordable way to access solar, smart battery storage and Toitū Climate Positive electricity^. You'll also get something you won't get if you purchase your system outright: greater certainty over your power bills for twenty years. 

^NB:  Reticulated & bottled gas customers may still qualify for a SolarZero subscription, but the grid or bottled energy will not be 100% renewable or Toitū climate positive certified.

There are three ways the solar subscription gives you cheaper power costs and guaranteed energy savings.

• Solar power generated at your place 

• Smart battery and energy experts monitoring your system 24/7 

• Access to price-protected energy

Let’s dive in and explore the three ways you save in more detail.

Solar savings #1: Solar Power generated at your place

There is a big difference in the cost structures of generating power from the sun to use directly in your home versus running a hydropower station and transmitting energy nationwide. Or worse 18% of the nation's energy is derived from importing coal from Indonesia, burning it in Huntly and distributing it nationwide. With solar, there are no distribution costs because solar energy is generated where it is used. And most importantly, the sun will never increase its rates (unlike the power companies).

We know that our customers will have up to 75% of their power costs covered by their solar subscription with us. And because we also know and understand our costs, your subscription fee will never increase for the term of your agreement. That allows you to lock in inflation-free power for the next 20 years for up to 75% of your total electricity costs. 

Solar savings #2: Smart Battery and Energy Experts

Being smart with solar is a continual process. Unlike other solar providers, we have a team of fleet managers to ensure you get the optimum benefits from the solar and smart battery technology, so you don't need to worry about a thing.

All our customers enjoy access to solar panels and a smart battery and can, therefore, greatly reduce their exposure to the rising cost of grid power. By maximising the use of solar in the home during the day and utilising stored power to support peak usage times. The smart battery learns your energy usage patterns and continuously optimises to ensure you maximise the use of solar power in the home.  

Maximising savings on mains power: Where available, we switch you to a Time-of-Use (TOU) energy plan and then actively use the smart battery to ensure you use grid power at the cheapest times possible and utilise battery power predominately during the peak pricing periods. 

Solar savings #3: Price protection

But that's not all we do to ensure you get the best power deal. We want to give our customers protection from rising electricity costs. Kiwis who choose to stay on grid electricity or go it alone on their solar system are facing a big unknown on what costs they will look at over the coming decades. And if the past is anything to go on, prices will continue to rise. Residential energy prices have risen 118% in the last twenty years. 

We provide a price-protected energy price currently less than 50% of the national average energy price.

Our expertise and technical smarts in optimising solar and energy use mean that for an average customer, 45%-55% of your home’s energy needs come from the grid. But the cost of this grid energy will, on average, only represent 25% of your monthly power bill. Smart, right?

For these reasons, we can deliver you cheaper electricity rates now and for the next 20 years. We guarantee it.

Questions? Talk with a SolarZero expert.