New Zealand has released a list of 500 schools nationwide that will be equipped with solar\u00a0panels, and\u00a0is now seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from solar system planners, designers, and installers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
These schools have been selected under the government\u2019s NZD 30 million Solar on Schools program as part of Budget 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to the government, the selected schools have been\u00a0experiencing energy or fuel\u00a0insecurity\u00a0and\u00a0higher energy costs. These buildings are also scheduled for gas or diesel boiler replacements.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Under the Solar on Schools program announced on June 3, 2026, selected schools will be equipped with solar systems to help them lower their power bills, reduce emissions, and lower their reliance on the national grid, according to the country\u2019s Education Minister Erica Stanford. Some may also receive battery energy storage systems. Up to 150 of them will also receive energy management systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLarge schools are expected to save around $8,000 a year on average on electricity, freeing up money that can be spent on teaching and learning,\u201d added Stanford. \u201cIt will also give students a real-world example of renewable energy in action, right there at their own school.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The list includes 340 schools in the North Island, 157 in the South Island, and three in the\u00a0Chathams.\u00a0<\/p>\n
New Zealand\u2019s Energy Minister Simeon Brown added, \u201cThe announcement not only provides certainty to schools across the country who are eager to get on with adopting solar power, it will support regional and local businesses and presents a significant opportunity for the industry to build capability and showcase the value of smart energy technologies.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The initiative, Solar on Schools, is jointly funded through NZD 20 million from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA)’s Community Renewable Energy Fund and NZD 10 million from the Ministry of Education.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Interested tenderers can submit EOIs\u00a0for planning\u00a0&\u00a0design\u00a0and\u00a0delivery of the solar\u00a0systems, and\u00a0may register for both.\u00a0Their broad scope of work will include site assessments, consents and approvals, site-by-site design and\u00a0cost-benefit\u00a0analysis, sequenced across bundles of 80 to 100 or more schools. For\u00a0the delivery\u00a0component, the selected companies will need to supply, install,\u00a0and ensure quality assurance of the solar systems.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Details of the Ministry of Education EOI call issued on August 10,\u00a02026\u00a0are available on the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS), with\u00a0RFx ID: 34614714<\/a>. Submissions will be accepted till September 7, 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n Currently, hydro, wind, and geothermal sources ensure 86% of the country\u2019s electricity comes from renewables, but according to the University of Auckland, going by electricity consumption, only 40% comes from renewables, with oil, gas,\u00a0and coal making up the remaining 60%.\u00a0<\/p>\n By 2035,\u00a0New Zealand\u00a0targets\u00a0increasing the share of renewables in\u00a0total energy consumption to 50%, while aiming for 100% renewable electricity by 2030.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n A Rewiring Aotearoa report claims that New Zealand households could save around NZD 3,000 annually by switching to electric appliances, EVs, rooftop solar and battery storage\u00a0(see\u00a0Solar-Powered New Zealand Homes Can Save NZD 3,000\/Year<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n