Compare the parties.

Party proposal

ACT proposes letting households sell power to a different provider from the one they buy from, allowing more solar exports where networks have capacity, and opening eligible connection work to competition. It opposes forced break-ups of major electricity companies.

Who it covers

Households generating electricity, new generators and electricity customers. Technical standards, metering, network charges and consumer protections would apply.

Timing

No implementation date specified in the reviewed source.

Cost & funding stated by the party

Investors would finance private transmission lines, with users paying through voluntary agreements. No total public cost is specified in the reviewed page.

Party proposal

The Greens propose publicly owned Kiwipower to invest in renewable generation and dry-year security; zero-interest solar and battery loans; renter solar rights; and expanded Warmer Kiwi Homes. They would invest in community and Māori renewable energy, put solar on more than half of public homes within four years, establish a single energy regulator and Ministry for Energy, ban new fossil-fuel extraction, end fossil-fuel subsidies and cancel the LNG terminal.

Who it covers

Electricity users, public-housing tenants, renters, low-income households and Māori/community energy projects, alongside generators and industry.

Timing

The announcement targets solar on more than half of public homes within four years. No calendar rollout or fiscal period for all other elements is stated in the reviewed announcement and chapter.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The announcement specifies $200m for community-owned renewable energy and $80m for Māori housing renewables, without labelling either amount annual. It proposes funding through corporation and high-wealth tax changes. No total package cost or Kiwipower capital allocation is given in those sources; solar loans would be repaid.

The renewable infrastructure agency in the manifesto and Kiwipower in the announcement may describe overlapping roles; their institutional relationship is not defined in those two sources. The $200m and $80m commitments must not be shown as annual costs.

Party proposal

Labour proposes government-backed solar finance, grants of up to $3,000 for eligible households, rules enabling plug-in solar for renters and a community battery fund. The loans would be repaid over time rather than making the equipment free.

Who it covers

Homeowners, renters and communities. The kickstart grants are for lower- and middle-income households; the page does not give exact income thresholds.

Timing

Advice, subsidies and the two loan schemes operating within 12 months of taking office.

Cost & funding stated by the party

Labour publishes $160 million over four years, repurposed from the Gas Security of Supply fund. This includes $77 million for household subsidies and $30 million for community batteries.

Party proposal

National proposes a Home Energy Fund offering long-term loans for solar, batteries, insulation and heat pumps. Loans would be secured against the property and repaid through rates or on sale. It would also relax consent rules for small-scale renewable energy.

Who it covers

Ratepayers with at least 20% equity in their property, in participating councils. Council participation would be voluntary.

Timing

Loans repaid over ten years. The reviewed paper does not specify a programme launch date.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The paper proposes a one-off $7 million Crown equity investment for a 20% shareholding, with remaining investment from councils and the Local Government Funding Agency. Borrowers repay the loans.

Party proposal

NZ First proposes splitting major power companies into generators and retailers, changing electricity-market rules, and a national energy strategy. It would guarantee long-term fixed-price contracts for new generation and propose equal buy and sell rates for household-generated power.

Who it covers

Electricity customers, new generators and households generating power, such as rooftop solar owners.

Timing

No implementation date specified in the reviewed source.

Cost & funding stated by the party

The party proposes government guarantees for new generation. The reviewed page does not state a total cost or funding source.

Party proposal

NZ First proposes a National Subsurface Development Survey to identify domestic resources and support fuel security.

Who it covers

The energy system, survey organisations and potential domestic resource projects. A survey allocation is not approval or funding for every later development.

Timing

Initial results within 12 months and surveys of highest-ranked basins within 24 months; the investment is over a government term.

Cost & funding stated by the party

An initial $1bn over the term is proposed. No annual allocation or funding source is specified.

Party proposal

Opportunity would seek cross-party agreement on 30 gigawatts of total electricity capacity by 2050, support household electrification loans and community energy projects, combine energy regulators, and consolidate management of electricity distributors.

Who it covers

Electricity customers, generators, communities and industries moving to electric processes.

Timing

The capacity target is for 2050. The reviewed page does not give a timetable for each market reform.

Cost & funding stated by the party

Opportunity proposes ring-fencing government electricity-company dividends, described as around $500 million a year, and using future emissions-trading revenue for industry electrification. It acknowledges a loss of general Crown revenue that would need replacement.

Party proposal

Te Pāti Māori proposes a $1 billion Energy Sovereignty Fund, a national energy independence plan, Māori energy workforce development, stronger rural energy capability and regulation focused on the public interest.

Who it covers

Māori energy workers, owners and industry, rural communities and the energy system. The paper includes grants, concessional finance, guarantees and equity/co-investment mechanisms.

Timing

Energy Sovereignty objective by 2035. Quantified targets and five-year milestones would be developed through the proposed National Energy Plan.

Cost & funding stated by the party

A $1bn fund is proposed, without a specified funding source or expenditure period. Different finance mechanisms should not all be counted as grants.