$9m solar scheme launched

Nelson City Council has launched its $9 million solar saving scheme which aims to help 1700 Nelsonians install solar water-heating over the next four years.

The programme, which is similar to the council's pay as you heat scheme, gives residents the chance to install a solar hot-water system and pay it back, plus interest, through their rates.

Each installation attracts a $1000 subsidy from the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (ECCA).

Under the scheme, the average cost of the solar hot-water system will be $5000-$6000. It will cost the city council $75,000 annually to administer it.

The initiative is the first in New Zealand and is already attracting interest from other councils.

Nelson Mayor Kerry Marshall said the launch was a significant day for the council and it was a "no-brainer" for Nelson to go solar.

"The Solar Saver Scheme is a big deal for Nelson. It is a flagship project for council, allocating up to $9 million of finance.

"The beauty of the Solar Saver Scheme is that it allows people to switch on to solar now and repay the cost while they also reap the benefits of saving on the cost of electric water heating over the coming years."

The council yesterday announced the four suppliers it has chosen to work with through the initiative after receiving proposals from 20 companies.

The selected businesses are Solar Technology, Solar City, Switch and Days Plumbing which will work with Solar Peak and they will provide a range of packages.

Mr Marshall said he was confident there would be significant flow-on effects for everyone in the local solar industry.

Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority solar hot water manager Nathan Ross said ECCA saw the Nelson programme as a key and high-profile project for the authority.

Mr Ross said ECCA hoped to get a model that could be picked up and taken to other councils in New Zealand.

The council's environmental policy manager, Martin Workman, said interest had been strong in the project and the council was going to hold a ballot for the first 200 places on the scheme.

People could enter the ballot until Friday.

For the next three financial years there would be 500 places on the scheme, and it would be re-assessed after that.

Mr Workman said the scheme would help get more people to invest in solar power as instead of having to pay thousands of dollars up front they could pay it off.

The loan would be attached to the house, not the homeowner.

This would also encourage people to install solar hot-water heating systems who might previously have been reluctant because they did not know how long they would own a house.

He said there had been strong interest from Tasman ratepayers and they while they would not be able to access the loan scheme they could get the pricing packages and information the council had worked out with the suppliers.

- © Fairfax NZ News