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Guide · updated June 2026

Off-grid solar in New Zealand

Off-grid means full energy independence — no grid connection, no power bill, but no safety net either. Here's how it works, what it costs, and when it actually makes sense for a NZ property.

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Off-grid vs hybrid vs grid-tied

Grid-tied

Connected to the national grid, with or without a battery. You import when solar is short and export surplus for a buyback credit. The cheapest and most common setup for connected homes.

Hybrid

Grid-connected plus a battery. You store solar for the evening peak but still have the grid as backup — the best of both for most homes wanting storage.

Off-grid

No grid connection at all. The property runs entirely on its own solar, a large battery bank and a backup generator. Sized to survive the worst-case winter day alone.

Who off-grid suits

Off-grid is generally recommended only for remote or rural properties, baches and lifestyle blocks where there is no grid connection — or where connecting would be prohibitively expensive. For a home that is already connected, a grid-tied or hybrid system almost always gives a better return, because you keep the grid as a free backup and can earn buyback income on surplus power.

What it costs

There's no single price — an off-grid system is effectively a self-contained power plant, so it costs several times more than a comparable grid-tied system (installers commonly quote roughly two to four times). The big drivers are a much larger battery bank, a backup generator, and an oversized array and inverter to cover winter. Because cost scales with your load and site, off-grid is always individually quoted.

Cost multiples above are indicative installer guidance, not a regulated figure — get a site-specific quote.

Key components

  • • Solar array — oversized vs grid-tied to cover low-sun winter days.
  • • Battery bank — the single biggest cost item; stores days of power.
  • • Off-grid inverter/charger — manages battery, solar and generator together.
  • • Backup generator — petrol or diesel, for prolonged low-sun periods.

When grid connection cost tips the balance

Off-grid becomes financially rational when extending the network to your property is very expensive. A long rural line extension requiring new cabling and a transformer can run to over $100,000 in lines-company worked examples — far more than a self-contained solar system. New electricity connection-pricing rules take effect from 1 April 2026 to make these costs more consistent and transparent. Connection cost is highly site-specific, so always get a written quote from your local lines company before deciding.

The trade-offs

Going off-grid means the system must be over-built for the darkest part of winter (so it's larger and pricier than your average-day needs), most off-grid homes still burn some generator fuel in winter, and any surplus solar is simply lost rather than earning export income. For most connected Kiwis, a hybrid system captures most of the benefit at a fraction of the cost.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between off-grid, hybrid and grid-tied solar?+
Grid-tied solar stays connected to the national grid — you import power when solar is short and export your surplus for a buyback credit. Hybrid is grid-connected but adds a battery, so you store solar for the evening while keeping the grid as backup. Off-grid has no grid connection at all: the property runs entirely on its own solar, a large battery bank and usually a backup generator.
How much more does off-grid solar cost than grid-tied?+
Off-grid systems are materially more expensive — installers commonly quote them at roughly two to four times the cost of a comparable grid-tied system, because you need a much larger battery bank, a backup generator and an oversized array to get through low-sun winter periods without the grid. The exact figure varies hugely with your load and site, so get a site-specific quote.
When is going off-grid worth it?+
Usually only when connecting to the grid is genuinely unavailable or very expensive. Extending the network to a remote rural property can run into the tens of thousands of dollars and, for long line extensions, can run to over $100,000 in worked examples — at which point a self-contained solar system can be the cheaper option. Your local lines company must quote the actual connection cost.
What are the downsides of off-grid solar?+
The system must be sized for the worst-case winter day, so it is over-built (and pricier) for most of the year; most off-grid homes still rely on a fuel generator in winter; and any surplus solar is wasted rather than earning export income. Batteries also need replacing over time.

Sources

Figures on this page are indicative guidance, not a quote. Verified as at June 2026 — always confirm current pricing and rates with your installer or retailer.

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