New Partnership Aims To Bolster The New Zealand Electricity Market With The Cleanest, Greenest Electricity Money Can Buy

The Sustainable Energy Association (SEANZ) and Climate Positive electricity retailer Ecotricity have today announced an initiative that will reward households and businesses with solar and battery storage with higher prices that more adequately reflect their value to the national electricity grid.

The Partnership gives SEANZ Group members exclusive access to market-leading buy-back rates of 21 cents per kWh peak export for energy that is exported back to the grid. This new pricing will not only maximise the return on investment for solar and batteries but also give Ecotricity the ability to support the country during energy shortages, selling energy back into the grid from homes and businesses around the country when needed to increase electricity supply.

Ecotricity CEO AL Yates says: “Grid emergencies such as those experienced across the country recently can be averted if we pay households and businesses appropriately for the energy they export.

“Electricity generation is one of the main carbon emitters in NZ and we want to change that. Ecotricity only purchases electricity from 100% renewable sources and this initiative with SEANZ will accelerate growth in solar energy and accelerate the replacement of fossil fuels with 100% renewable energy”

SEANZ Chair Brendan Winitana says “This is a great announcement for SEANZ Group Members, for households and businesses, and for the country. More solar and batteries means lower electricity prices, more clean energy, and greater security of supply.

“To ensure the lowest-cost and cleanest energy solutions are invested in, fair pricing needs to be available otherwise the country risks locking in costly new fossil fuel generation, network upgrades, and higher electricity charges for the future. This partnership with Ecotricity allows SEANZ Group members to pass on fairer pricing to consumers and drive growth and value in the sector”

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