About

This project will provide accurate and validated estimates of rooftop solar potential for almost every building in New Zealand, for use in tools such as interactive maps.

Last updated: Jan 2026

Features

• Comprehensive: Aims to cover every building in New Zealand, where data is available.
• Sophisticated modelling: Will incorporate roof angles, shade profiles, weather patterns, economics.
• Useful layers: Potential area and generation estimates can be aggregated by building type, region/local council area, and nationwide.
• Free: The data, methodology, software, and any web front-end are shared for free under open licenses.

Project goals

• Empower policymakers, planners, councils, community champions, businesses and households to make evidence based decisions which accelerate the roll out of rooftop solar.
• Provide personalised, detailed, and trustworthy evidence of the rooftop solar potential for every rooftop in New Zealand.
• Demonstrate that rooftop solar provides the cheapest delivered energy in New Zealand, even with New Zealand’s mountains, low winter sun angles, and shaded valleys.