Checked October 2026
Solar buy-back rates, compared.
What each New Zealand power company pays for the solar you export, for Auckland homes - with the conditions and our sources. We don't sell power or panels.
Daytime buy-back
8c - 16c
per kWh exported, no battery
Typical
12.5c
middle of the retailers below
Higher peak rates
15c - 25c
mornings and evenings only - mostly useful with a battery
| Power company | Daytime buy-back | Plan, peak rates and conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Ecotricity | 16c | ecoSOLAR off-peak; 21c in peak hours. Ecotricity doesn't publish its peak window or whether rates include GST. Source: Ecotricity, Powerswitch (Sept 2026) |
| Meridian | 15c | Open-term plans. 24c for exports 7-10am and 5-9pm in July-September (smart meter needed). Fixed-term plans pay 12c. Source: Meridian, Powerswitch (Sept 2026) |
| Octopus Energy | 14c | OctopusFlexi, systems up to 10kW. 19c on weekdays 7-11am and 5-9pm. OctopusPeaker (for batteries) pays 23c peak, 10c otherwise. Source: Octopus, Powerswitch (Sept 2026) |
| Powershop | 13c | All year, no cap. 23c on weekdays 7-11am and 5-9pm in July-September (smart meter needed). Source: Powershop, Powerswitch (Sept 2026) |
| Genesis | 12.5c | Anytime export. The time-varied plan pays 15c at 7-9am and 5-9pm. Former Frank Energy customers are now with Genesis. Source: Genesis, Powerswitch (Sept 2026) |
| Pulse Energy | 12c | Powerswitch figure - Pulse says it varies by location and doesn't publish rates, so check with them. Source: Powerswitch (Sept 2026) |
| Mercury | 11.1c | Flat Rates plan. On Flex (seasonal time-of-use), midday exports earn 9.17c in summer and 15.75c in winter. Source: Mercury, Powerswitch (Sept 2026) |
| Electric Kiwi | 10c | MoveMaster off-peak; 20c in weekday peaks (7-9am, 5-9pm). Everyday pays 8c. Electric Kiwi quotes these incl. GST (11.5c, 23c, 9c). Source: Electric Kiwi, Powerswitch (Sept 2026) |
| Nova Energy | 10c | All plans, systems up to 50kW. Source: Nova, Powerswitch (Sept 2026) |
| Contact Energy | 8c | Flat plans. Good Charge pays 25c on weekdays 7-9am and 6-10pm, but 8c at other times, so it mainly suits homes with a battery. Source: Contact, Powerswitch (Sept 2026) |
Cents per kWh excluding GST - what a household that isn't GST-registered is actually credited. "Daytime" is the rate most midday exports earn without a battery, on each retailer's best open-term plan for solar. Checked October 2026 on retailer websites and the Powerswitch solar table; plans change often, so check before you switch.
Flick Electric customers moved to Meridian, and Frank Energy customers to Genesis - neither takes new customers. We've left out Power Edge and Hanergy because their own sites and Powerswitch disagree, and Toast, which doesn't serve Auckland.
Why the buy-back rate matters less than you'd think
Every kWh of solar you use yourself saves you the full per-kWh price on your bill. Every kWh you export earns only the buy-back rate above - usually a fraction of that. Look up the per-kWh rate on your own bill and compare.
So the biggest lever on payback isn't the top buy-back plan. It's a system sized to the power you actually use, and shifting load into daylight - hot water cylinder, dishwasher, EV charging while the sun is up.
The eye-catching 20c+ rates apply only in morning and evening peaks, sometimes only in winter, when a solar-only home exports little. They pay off mainly with a battery - and some come with lower daytime rates or different prices for the power you buy. Compare the whole plan, not one number.
New since April 2026: Vector credits retailers 5.24c/kWh (excl. GST) for exports during its peak windows, under an Electricity Authority rule. Retailers don't have to pass it on; Octopus says it does.
See your own numbers
What would solar save you?
Our calculator reads your roof from aerial data, then uses your power company's buy-back rate and your household's habits to estimate savings and payback - honestly, including when it doesn't add up.
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