Funding for 16 solar power projects for papakāinga will see power bills drop by as much as half, the government says.
Photo: lighthunter/123RF
The $3 million announced today would see small solar grids installed in communities where power supply is patchy, or people do not have enough money to heat their homes.
It is part of the third phase of the Māori Housing Renewable Energy Fund, which also includes another $5m to fund larger-scale projects.
The government said 150 households would benefit from the 16 projects, seven of which were in Northland, one in Tasman, and the rest are across the North Island.
Energy Minister Megan Woods said it was important to fund projects which tested new ways to share and store off-grid renewable energy as part of the transition towards a net-zero carbon future.
"To see at a micro-level what works well, and better understand the costs, benefits and challenges. This will be valuable when considering future projects, such as the new $16m community-scale renewable energy fund that was announced in this year's Budget," Megan Woods said.
"We're doing all we can to find practical ways of creating warmer, more energy-efficient homes."
One of the projects will be in Northland, where the head of the Ngāti Wai Trust Board called the move a huge win.
Chief executive Huhana Lyndon said the solar panels, which would be installed on eight marae, would help whānau keep the lights on during tough times.
"For all marae across the motu it's difficult to keep the lights on, you've got maintenance, you've got insurance, you're constantly looking for ways for which you can pay your bills," Lyndon said.
"In some of our marae, we actually lose our lights a lot. The ability to be able to be self generating and to have the connectivity both through solar but then to our whānau is an issue.
"All of our marae that are accessing these solar panels are rural and we get cut off often by flooding and weather events," Lyndon said.
The iwi will work with Māori power company Nau Mai Rā to learn how to share excess energy collected from the solar panels.
Work to install the panels will start on Monday.
