MBIE Energy Use newsletter – July 2025

18 July 2025

Have your say – Smart EV charging consultation

MBIE is inviting feedback on options to improve the uptake of smart electric vehicle (EV) chargers in New Zealand.

As more households and businesses adopt EVs and charge them at home, electricity demand rises and places pressure on our electricity networks. Without smart charging solutions, this growing demand could lead to costly infrastructure upgrades and higher electricity prices for everyone.

Smart EV charging allows users to shift their electricity usage to off-peak times, helping to reduce pressure on the grid and lower power costs for all consumers. MBIE is consulting on five options to encourage the uptake of smart EV chargers.

Consultation on the future of smart EV charging is open until 1 August 2025. 

Submit your views by emailing energyuse@mbie.govt.nz with the subject line ‘Submission on proposals to support the uptake of smart EV charging’.

Your feedback will help shape the future of EV charging in New Zealand.

Have your say – proposals to better empower electricity consumers   

You have until Tuesday 29 July to have your say on proposals that would enable people to choose multiple providers for different electricity services. For example, one retailer for electricity use, and another for supplying power back to the network, usually through rooftop solar and batteries.  
The Electricity Authority’s consultation paper also proposes industry rule changes that would make it easier for New Zealanders to switch electricity providers. 

These proposed changes will provide real benefits for consumers by allowing innovative retailers to compete for, and reward consumers for supplying electricity to the network. This should encourage investment in distributed generation, like rooftop solar and batteries, leading to an increase in regional resilience and overall system security. 
 
These proposals are part of the Authority’s ‘consumer mobility’ work to empower New Zealanders to take full advantage of a dynamic and competitive energy market. This means enabling households and businesses to become active participants in the electricity market by equipping them with data and tools to understand their options, and having more flexibility to choose the services that best meets their needs. 

Feedback is due to the Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko by 5pm, Tuesday 29 July 2025. 

Contact policyconsult@ea.govt.nz for any questions, and read more about the consultation here: Evolving multiple retailing and switching| Electricity Authority

Supercharging residential solar power generation 

Expanding the voltage range will help fast-track solar uptake

The Government is making it easier for New Zealanders to adopt rooftop solar by expanding the permitted voltage range for electricity networks from +/- 6% to +/- 10%, enabling more efficient power flow from solar panels and electric vehicle chargers.

This change aligns with international appliance standards and is expected to boost solar generation by 507 GWh, strengthening energy security and reducing emissions. Expanding the voltage range will help New Zealanders who invest in solar save money on power bills and also avoid costly infrastructure upgrades. This change is expected to be implemented later this year. 

Building consent changes to accelerate solar-ready homes

To support the transition to renewable energy, the Government is also making changes to the Building Act to clarify that rooftop solar panels do not require building consent when installed on existing homes. Councils will also be required to process building consents for new homes with solar panels within 10 working days—halving the current timeframe and delivering around $400 savings in consenting costs per day. These reforms will remove barriers, promote sustainability, and ensure homes are future-ready. Clarification that building consents are not required for solar panel installs on existing homes will be in place by the end of 2025, with the fast-tracked consenting process for new homes following before the next election in 2026.

You can read more about these changes here: Supercharging residential solar power generation | Beehive.govt.nz

Hardship Measures Reporting 

MBIE's Energy Hardship Measures Report is returning after last year's pause. The next report will be released before the end of the year and will include updated data for the years ending June 2023 and 2024. Going forward the report will be produced on a two-year cycle. This will allow us to monitor changes over time, providing valuable insights to support the Government’s work on energy hardship and affordability.

You can read more about the definition of energy hardship, the development of the measures and find the first edition of the report here: Report on energy hardship measures | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

Electricity Authority appoints Daylight to deliver new comparison and switching service

Following a competitive procurement process, the Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko (the Authority) has appointed innovative technology and creative studio Daylight to develop a new energy comparison and switching service. Tāmaki Makaurau based Daylight is known for its world class behaviour-changing digital products and services.
Daylight will deliver the new service by the end of this year and work with the Authority to evolve its capabilities over time, leveraging emerging technologies, improvements in data standardisation and a future consumer-data-right. The Authority and Daylight will also work closely with retailers to ensure new products and services are seamlessly integrated to support consumer choice.

You can read more about the new comparison and switching service here: Electricity Authority appoints Daylight to deliver new comparison and switching service | Electricity Authority

The Authority will continue to support and promote Powerswitch until the new comparison and switching service is launched later this year. The Authority has been funding Powerswitch for several years and values Powerswitch’s long-standing contribution to supporting consumer choice.
 

Contact us

We welcome any thoughts or questions about this area of work, and any interest you might have to be involved. For further information, please contact the MBIE Energy Use team by emailing energyuse@mbie.govt.nz

This update is brought to you by the Energy Markets branch, part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.