Kiwis Doing Good Can Help Achieve A Zero Carbon Future For New Zealand

Auckland, 12 June 2020 - solarcity, New Zealand’s leading solar energy company, known for its innovation in the solar energy sector with its solarZero subscription-based solar energy service, has added another first for New Zealand. The company announced today the launch of their new #nzforgood programme as part of their mission to help fast track New Zealand to a Zero Carbon future. The #nzforgood programme empowers Kiwis to help others reduce their power costs and lower their carbon footprint, and in doing so they can financially benefit through the current tough economic climate.

As New Zealanders emerge from the recent lockdown restrictions under Level 1 conditions, there is an enormous opportunity to live more sustainably, and make some of the positive changes and behaviours permanent.

“Cleaner air, clearer skies, and healthy Kiwis living their best quality of life have been the focus for our new #nzforgoood programme. There’s no better time than now for Kiwis to make changes that will help get New Zealand closer to a Zero Carbon future. We can really lead the way here. Everyone has witnessed during the COVID-19 crisis that a change in habits can have a demonstrable positive effect on the environment. As we move into Level 1, we can begin to make permanent changes that will help us live better and reduce our negative impact on the environment. Seeking an alternative for powering your home is a positive change Kiwis can make, and with solarZero we’ve made it easy to join with zero upfront costs,” says Neil Cowie, CEO, solarcity.

#nzforgood is a community-based referral programme that allows the New Zealand public1 to engage with solarcity’s mission to lower the cost of energy for homeowners and get New Zealand to a Zero Carbon future, sooner. The #nzforgood programme enables Kiwis to help their fellow Kiwis discover how they can reduce their outgoings and their carbon footprint, by introducing them to solarZero, New Zealand’s only solar energy subscription-based service. For every successful introduction that is made, there is a cash reward of $500 for the referrer, uncapped. So the more successful referrals that are made, the more earnings can be achieved.

solarZero is a solar energy service from solarcity where the solar energy system is installed at the customer’s home without the upfront or ongoing costs. The installation, monitoring, repairs and upgrades to the system are managed by solarcity at no additional cost, customers simply pay a fixed monthly solarZero energy fee for the solar energy. To date there are over 4,200 customers around New Zealand who power their homes with solarZero, who are saving up to 30% on their power bills, and each reducing their carbon footprint by an average 15 tonnes2.

“Our #nzforgood programme is a first for solarcity - up until now our referral programme has been exclusively for our customers and staff. We wanted to do something to help support Kiwis who are struggling through the current COVID-19 crisis from a loss or reduction of income. We want to help provide a source of income, and to help households reduce their outgoings with lower power bills. Ultimately New Zealand as a country benefits, as every household that moves to a renewable source of energy, helps get us closer to a Zero Carbon future. If we can emerge as a country through this crisis with this as our legacy, it would be a proud moment for all of us,” says Mr Cowie.

The #nzforgood programme is designed to benefit all

Benefits for the solarZero fanSZ

It starts with the referrer who joins the #nzforgood programme (known as a solarZero fanSZ). For every successful referral the fanSZ make, they earn $5003. There is no limit to the amount of earnings a fanSZ can make, the more successful referrals they make, the more they can earn3. The ability to earn cash rewards simply and easily will help to ease the economic strain on New Zealanders brought about by the COVID-19 crisis.

Benefits for the Homeowner

Each homeowner who is introduced to solarZero by the fanSZ, and whose home qualifies for solarZero, benefits with guaranteed savings on their power bill (an average of 30% savings over 20 years2) and a reduction of their household’s carbon footprint (an average 15 tonnes of carbon emissions per household2). One of the greatest benefits of solarZero is that, unlike other solar options, there is no capital outlay for the system. The cost barrier is no longer an issue for those who want to live more sustainably, but are unable to invest in the technology hardware.

Benefits for New Zealand’s Zero Carbon Future

For New Zealand, the benefits are multifaceted. With more homes powered by solarZero, there is reduced demand on the existing infrastructure and power supply from the national grid, an increase in the pool of renewable energy available to all New Zealanders, and a cumulative reduction in carbon emissions - accelerating New Zealand towards achieving a Zero Carbon future, sooner. The goal of solarcity’s #nzforgood programme is to power 2,000 additional homes with solarZero, which would reduce NZ’s carbon emissions by an additional 30,000 tonnes2. This adds to the current 4,200 solarZero customers who are helping to reduce New Zealand’s emissions by 63,000 tonnes2, simply by powering their homes with solar energy.

The #nzforgood programme launched on 12 June 2020 and closes on 30 November 2020.

For more information about the #nzforgood programme visit solarzero.co.nz/nzforgood or email fansz@solarcity.co.nz

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