Solar export limits: what the 10 kW shift means for you

Export limits used to be one of the quiet frustrations of New Zealand solar: you’d size a great system, then the network would cap how much you could send back. In 2026 that changed. Here’s what an export limit is, what’s new, and how to get the most out of it.

What an export limit is

When your system generates more than you’re using, the surplus flows back to the grid. To keep the local network stable, your lines company can limit how much you’re allowed to export. That cap is the export limit, and it’s set by the network — not by you or your installer.

What changed in 2026

For years many networks effectively capped residential single-phase export at around 5 kW. On 11 May 2026, the Electricity Authority’s rules lifted the default to 10 kW where the local network allows — and opened the door to dynamic limits that can flex with network conditions rather than sitting at a fixed conservative cap. For high-generation homes, that means less of your summer surplus gets curtailed.

You may now get paid for peak export

Two related changes sweetened the deal. From 1 April 2026, lines companies must pay a rebate for power you export during peak windows. From 1 July 2026, large retailers must offer at least one plan that rewards peak export. Neither guarantees a headline rate — and whether the distributor rebate reaches you depends on your retailer — so it’s worth asking your retailer directly what they pass on.

Does an export limit mean wasted power?

Less than people fear. Most well-designed New Zealand systems aren’t sized for the few peak summer hours anyway — they’re sized to perform across the year. In winter and on cloudy days you’ll use almost everything you generate; it’s only on bright, low-use days that you might brush the limit for a few hours. A little curtailment on those days is usually the sign of a system pulling its weight the rest of the time.

How to make export limits work for you

• Self-consume first: exports are worth a fraction of what you save by using power on-site, so shift EV charging, hot water and appliances into daylight.
• Consider a battery: storing surplus for the evening — or for peak-rebate export — is more valuable now than it was a year ago.
• Ask about dynamic export: where your network offers it, it can let you export more than a fixed cap.
• Size to your load: bigger isn’t automatically better — match the system to how you actually use power.

Whether you’re installing systems, designing for new builds, or navigating distributed-generation approvals, the 2026 changes make export limits less of a handbrake than they used to be. If you want help making the most of them, that’s what SolarLink is here for.

Sources

• Export Limits Amendment 2026 — Electricity Authority
• Peak export rebates decision — Electricity Authority