政府优先推进太阳能监管改革
监管部长 David Seymour 和能源部长 Simeon Brown 表示，政府已同意推进监管部（Ministry for Regulation）《行业审查报告》（Sector Review Report）中的相关建议，目标是让新西兰住宅以及中小型太阳能电池板安装成为发达国家中最简单的流程之一。
Seymour 表示：“新西兰人需要可靠且价格合理的能源，但目前太阳能电池板的审批可能需要数月时间。这份报告提出的建议将让太阳能成为新西兰家庭更加容易选择的能源方案。”
“政府将允许使用插电式太阳能（plug-in solar），因为没有充分理由阻止新西兰人使用这种技术。插电式太阳能尤其适合租房者以及居住在公寓、无法安装传统屋顶太阳能系统的人。如果德国和英国都可以使用，那么新西兰也应该可以。”
监管部此前通过“减少繁文缛节热线”（Red Tape Tipline）收到有关住宅和中小型太阳能项目的反馈。随后，监管部直接与安装商、行业参与者、监管机构以及其他利益相关方沟通，以了解问题所在。
监管部发现，在一些情况下，安装一个小型太阳能系统可能需要获得多达6项不同批准，并接受来自4个不同机构的5次现场检查，之后才能正式启用。整个过程可能持续数月，而其中大部分程序并没有必要。
政府表示，在全部建议实施后，住宅太阳能安装审批的成本和时间预计将从目前约640新西兰元、3个月，降低至约200新西兰元、6天。
对于中小型太阳能项目，例如农场主在挤奶棚屋顶安装太阳能板，审批成本预计将从最高约11,000新西兰元、6个月，降低至约1,300新西兰元、1个月。
监管部估计，这些改革在未来10年可能带来2,800万至5,000万新西兰元的净收益，主要来自降低合规成本、减少审批延误，以及推广插电式太阳能。
政府很快还将开始试行更加符合实际、以风险为基础的检查模式。
Seymour 表示，要求电气检查员亲自检查每一个太阳能安装项目，成本太高、耗时太长，而且完全没有必要。
经过认可的安装商已经可以完成相同的工作，而且他们本身就在安装现场，因此无需再支付额外的上门检查费用，也能够避免等待。
这一改革预计可以让消费者最多减少45天等待时间，并节省600新西兰元。
报告还建议缩短电力线路公司处理太阳能并网申请的时间。
监管部建议：
- 普通住宅太阳能并网申请从目前的10个工作日缩短至下一个工作日；
- 中型太阳能安装申请从目前的超过30天缩短至仅5个工作日。
此外，规划规则也可能成为部分太阳能项目的障碍，尤其是规模较大或安装在地面上的太阳能系统，以及位于历史保护区或杰出自然景观区域内的项目。
这些项目通常需要申请资源许可（resource consent），从而增加成本、延误和不确定性。
政府计划豁免这类太阳能安装的资源许可要求。
政府估计，这项改变最多可以为消费者节省30天等待时间以及3,000至10,000新西兰元的费用。
更多屋顶太阳能并网
能源部长 Simeon Brown 表示，新西兰人正在越来越多地采用太阳能技术，这些改革将让消费者拥有更多对电力供应和电费的控制权。
“新西兰人希望能够更好地控制自己的电费，而简化太阳能接入电网的流程，就是实现这一目标的一种方式。这样人们就可以利用照射到自己房屋上的免费阳光。”
目前，新西兰住宅屋顶太阳能的并网数量已经不断增加。
Brown 表示，从逻辑上来说，随着安装太阳能所需的麻烦和成本进一步下降，使用率也将进一步提高。
政府此前已经将住宅用户可以向电网输出的电量上限提高了一倍。
政府将继续推进实际可行的改革，让希望安装太阳能的家庭能够更加容易、更快地完成安装和并网。
插电式太阳能或成为租房者的新选择
Brown 表示，插电式太阳能对于租房者来说可能是一项重大改变。
未来，租房者可以购买一套插电式太阳能设备，在搬家时也可以将设备带走，而不需要对房屋进行永久性改造。
他说：“阳光的能量就在我们身边，可以加以利用。落实这些改革建议，将帮助人们做到这一点，并让家庭预算真正受益。”
Seymour 表示：“这项快速而全面的审查，将让政府不再干预新西兰家庭的屋顶，让阳光能够照耀在他们的太阳能电池板上。”
完整报告：Solar Regulatory Review – Full Report
Government prioritises Solar Review
The Government has agreed to progress the recommendations in the Ministry for Regulation’s Sector Review Report (“the Report”) to make residential and small to medium scale solar panel installation in New Zealand the simplest in the developed world, Regulation Minister David Seymour and Energy Minister Simeon Brown say.
“Kiwis need access to reliable and affordable energy, but approval for solar panels can take months. The Report’s recommendations will make solar an easy option for Kiwi families,” Mr Seymour says.
“The Government will legalise plug in solar because there was no good for reason for preventing Kiwis using it. Plug-in systems can be used by renters and people living in apartments who can’t access traditional rooftop solar. If they’re good enough for Germany and the UK, they’re good enough for us.
“We heard about problems with residential a small to medium scale solar through the Red Tape Tipline. Then the Ministry went straight to the source to understand the problem. They engaged with installers, industry participants, regulators and other stakeholders.
“The Ministry found that in some cases, installing a small-scale solar system can involve up to six separate sign-offs and five site visits from four different entities before it can be switched on. All of this can take months. Most of it is unnecessary.
“Once all the recommendations are implemented installation approvals for residential solar will be reduced from about $640 and 3 months, down to $200 and 6 days. For small-medium scale solar, such as a farmer installing panels on a milking shed, it would reduce installation approvals from up to $11,000 and 6 months, down to $1,300 and 1 month.
“The Ministry estimates that the recommendations could deliver net benefits of between $28 million and $50 million over 10 years. This is through lower compliance costs, reduced delays, and the use of plug in solar.
“Work will soon begin to trial a more proportionate, risk-based inspection model. Requiring an electrical inspector to check every solar installation in person is too expensive, too time consuming, and absolutely unnecessary. Accredited installers can do the same job, without the call out costs or delays, because they’re already there. This could save consumers up to 45 days of waiting, and $600.
“The Report also recommends shortening processing times for lines companies processing requests to approve solar. The Ministry recommended a standard residential request be cut from 10 working days to the next working day, and medium sized installation requests be cut from over 30 days, to just 5 working days.
“Planning rules can create barriers for some solar installations, particularly larger or ground-mounted systems, and installations in heritage or outstanding natural landscape areas. These often require resource consents which add cost, delay and uncertainty. We will exempt these types of solar installations from needing resource consent. This could save consumers up to 30 days of waiting time and between $3000 and $10,000.”
Energy Minister Simeon Brown says Kiwis are embracing solar technology and these changes will put power back in people’s hands and on their rooftops.
“New Zealanders want more control over their power bills and making it easier to connect solar is one way to do that by allowing people to make use of the free sunshine that lands on their property.
“We’re already seeing increasing rooftop connections so, logically, the more the hassle and cost can be reduced, the greater the uptake will be.
“The Government has already doubled the amount of electricity homeowners can export back to the grid and we’ll continue with practical changes to make it easier and quicker for those who choose it, to go solar.
“Plug-in solar will also be a game changer for people who rent, meaning people will be able to buy a plug-in solar kit and take it with them if they move house. The power of the sun is there to be harnessed. Implementing these recommendations will help people do that, and feel the benefits in their household budgets,” Mr Brown says.
“This fast, and comprehensive review will get the Government off the roofs of Kiwi homes, so the sun can shine on their solar panels,” Mr Seymour says.
The full report is available here Solar Regulatory Review – Full report
