What Are Solar Buy Back Rates in NZ?
A solar buy-back rate (also called a feed-in tariff or export rate) is the price per kilowatt-hour (kWh) a New Zealand electricity retailer pays a solar owner for surplus power exported to the grid. As of 2026, there is no single, fixed "solar buy back rate" in New Zealand — each retailer sets its own rate voluntarily, and rates are published on each retailer's own website rather than in one central list.
Quick answer: buy-back rates in NZ are set voluntarily by each retailer, not by the government, so they vary and change over time — the only reliable way to know "who has the best rate" is to compare current published offers, not rely on a single published national figure.
This guide explains how buy-back rates actually work, why NZ has no fixed national rate the way some countries do, what moves your own rate, and how to compare offers properly — alongside our guide to sizing a system for your house, since system size directly affects how much you have left over to export.
What is a solar buy-back rate?
A solar buy-back rate is the price per kilowatt-hour (kWh) an electricity retailer pays you for solar power your system generates but your household doesn't use, which flows back out to the grid. It's sometimes called a feed-in tariff, export rate, or buy-back tariff — the terms are used interchangeably in NZ. In short: export is power sent to the grid, import is power drawn from it, and the buy-back rate is what you're paid per kWh for the former.
- Import price: what you pay the retailer per kWh for power you draw from the grid (at night, on cloudy days, or when demand exceeds what your panels produce).
- Buy-back / export rate: what the retailer pays you per kWh for solar power you send back to the grid instead of using yourself.
- The gap between the two matters: in NZ, retailers typically pay less per kWh for exported power than they charge per kWh for imported power, which is why using solar power directly in the home is usually worth more to you than exporting it and buying it back later — see export vs self-consumption below.
Why NZ has no fixed national buy-back rate
Unlike some countries that mandate a government-set feed-in tariff, New Zealand has no national rebate or government-mandated buy-back rate. The Electricity Authority, which regulates NZ's electricity market, does not set a fixed export price that retailers must pay. Instead, each retailer decides its own buy-back rate as a commercial offer — in New Zealand, the buy-back rate is a retailer-set commercial price, not a government-mandated tariff. This means:
- Rates differ from retailer to retailer, sometimes significantly.
- A retailer can change its published rate over time as wholesale electricity prices and their own solar customer numbers shift.
- The "best" rate today may not be the best rate in a year, so a buy-back rate shouldn't be the only reason you pick or stay with a retailer.
Because there's no single authority publishing one NZ-wide number, any article — including this one — that quotes a single buy-back rate as "the" NZ rate is oversimplifying. The only accurate way to see current numbers is to check retailers' own published rates or a comparison tool, not a fixed figure.
What affects your buy-back rate
Several things influence what you're actually offered and paid:
- Which retailer you're with — the single biggest factor, since each sets its own rate independently.
- Plan type — some retailers only offer buy-back as part of a specific solar plan, not their standard plan, and may require you to switch plans (sometimes providers) to access it.
- Time-of-use structures — a small number of plans pay a different export rate at different times of day, rather than one flat rate.
- Metering setup — you generally need a smart meter (an electronic meter that records exported and imported power as separate readings) for a retailer to pay a buy-back rate at all; see our guide on NZ solar installation rules for what's required before you can export.
- Lines company charges — your local lines company (the network operator) is separate from your retailer and doesn't pay a buy-back rate itself, but its charges can still affect the net value of exporting in your area.
How to compare buy-back offers properly
"Who has the best solar buy-back rate" is one of the most common questions solar owners search for — here's how to answer it for your own situation rather than chasing a headline number:
- Compare the whole plan, not just the export rate. A retailer with a slightly lower buy-back rate but a meaningfully lower import (usage) price can still leave you better off overall — do the maths on both numbers together, not the export rate in isolation.
- Use an independent comparison tool. Powerswitch, run by Consumer NZ, lets you compare retailer plans including solar buy-back offers for your address and usage pattern, and is a more reliable source of current rates than any single article.
- Check the rate is published, not verbal. A legitimate offer should be stated on the retailer's website or in your plan terms — treat a rate you can't find in writing as unconfirmed.
- Re-check periodically. Because rates aren't fixed, it's worth comparing again every year or two, the same way you'd shop around on your import price.
- Factor in switching costs. Moving retailer to chase a marginally better buy-back rate is only worth it if the gap is meaningful once your actual export volume (see typical NZ system sizes) is multiplied through — a few cents per kWh on a small exported volume adds up to a small annual difference.
Export vs self-consumption: which is worth more?
Because buy-back rates in NZ are typically lower than retail import prices, using solar power directly in your home — "self-consumption" — is usually worth more per kWh than exporting it and being paid the buy-back rate. Running appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, hot water cylinder, EV charging) during daylight hours when panels are producing shifts more of your usage to self-consumption instead of export, which is why installers often recommend timer plugs or load-shifting rather than assuming export income alone.
A home battery changes this calculation by storing solar power generated during the day for use at night, instead of exporting it for the buy-back rate and then buying it back at the higher import rate after dark. Whether a battery pays for itself faster than simply exporting depends on your own buy-back rate, import price, and usage pattern — there's no single answer that holds for every household.
Common questions
What is a solar buy back rate in NZ?
It's the price per kWh your electricity retailer pays you for surplus solar power your panels export to the grid. It's set individually by each retailer, not by the government, so it varies between providers.
Is there a government-set feed-in tariff in New Zealand?
No. New Zealand has no national rebate or mandated feed-in tariff. The Electricity Authority regulates the electricity market but does not fix a buy-back rate — each retailer sets its own.
Who has the best solar buy back rate in NZ?
It changes over time and isn't published in one place, so check current offers via a comparison tool like Powerswitch rather than relying on a fixed answer. Compare the whole plan, not just the export rate.
Does a higher buy-back rate always mean better value?
Not necessarily. A retailer with a lower export rate but a lower import price can still work out cheaper overall — compare both numbers together against your actual usage and export pattern.
Do I need special metering to get a buy-back rate?
Generally yes — you need a smart meter that measures exported power separately from imported power before a retailer will pay a buy-back rate. Your installer arranges this as part of a compliant install.