The Queenstown Electrification Accelerator’s about to start a ‘solar for renters’ trial in the Queenstown-Lakes. The Queenstown Electrification Accelerator (QEA) is about to kick in to a solar trial, aimed at ensuring residential and commercial renters can benefit from solar power, despite not owning the roof. While landlords participating in the trial will still have to pay for the solar system — which could range from $10,000 to about $30,000 — she says it’ll be a ‘‘shared benefits model’’. ‘‘The landlord purchases the solar system [and] the tenant has lower-cost energy — so they still pay for any kilowatt hours that they’ve consumed from solar, for example, but it’s at lower costs than the grid. QEA’s looking to close off applications for the ‘solar for renters trial’ within the next two months and expects it, once systems are installed, to last about a year.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 20, 2026 15:12 UTC