Solar and Battery Systems
Switching to a solar and battery system offers a range of benefits that make sense for your home and the planet. By generating your own electricity, you can significantly lower or even eliminate power bills and gain additional savings by selling excess energy back to us.
A battery system further enhances these benefits by allowing you to store energy for use when power is most expensive and providing reliable backup power during outages, ensuring peace of mind.
Best of all, using renewable energy helps reduce your carbon footprint, contributing to a more sustainable future.
What solar plan is best for me?
If you’ve got solar panels, both Octopus Flexi and Octopus Peaker can boost the value of your investment - but the best plan depends on how you use and store your energy.
Octopus Flexi is ideal if you simply want a straightforward solar buy-back rate, with no lock-in and competitive pricing for homes with solar under 10 kW.
On the other hand, if you have a battery or larger generation (over 10 kW), Octopus Peaker helps you earn more by exporting power during peak demand times - giving you higher returns for smartly timed exports.
| Octopus Energy Plan | Export/Buy-back Rate(s) | Generation Capacity Limit |
|---|---|---|
| OctopusFlexi | 17c per kWh | 10 kW or less |
| OctopusPeaker | 40c per kWh Peak, 10c per kWh Off-Peak & 5c per kWh Night (promotional rate to 30 September) | More than 10 kW |
OctopusFlexi
OctopusFlexi is designed to give you the ultimate freedom and flexibility in how you power your home. With no lock-in contracts, competitive pricing, and a leading solar buyback rate (for systems with generation capacity under 10kW), OctopusFlexi makes it simple to take control of your energy.
OctopusPeaker
OctopusPeaker suits households with a battery who can export into the peak and shift their electricity usage to off-peak times of day or those with generation capacity above 10kW. By shifting your usage out of the peak and maximising your exports during Peak times you can get the most value out of this plan.
Got questions about how solar and batteries work with Octopus? You’re not alone — here are the answers to the most common things our customers ask.
FAQs
If you have solar panels under 10 kW and no battery, Octopus Flexi gives you a competitive buy-back rate with total flexibility. If you’ve got a battery (or larger solar generation over 10 kW), Octopus Peaker rewards you for exporting energy during peak demand times.
Rates vary depending on your chosen plan and the time of day you export energy. Octopus Flexi offers a flat, competitive export rate. Octopus Peaker offers higher rates during peak times and lower rates outside of them. View the table above for our current buy back rates.
Not necessarily. Octopus Flexi works well for homes with solar only. But if you have a battery, Octopus Peaker can help you earn more by storing energy and exporting it when prices are highest.
With time-of-export pricing, the amount you earn for sending energy back to the grid changes depending on when you export it. You’ll earn more during peak demand hours, and less during off-peak times. If you’ve got a battery, you can maximise returns by storing energy and exporting it when rates are highest.
Yes. If your energy setup changes - like adding a battery - you can move plans once per year.
No, we don’t sell or install solar gear. But we partner with trusted installers across NZ and provide a directory so you can find the right expert to design and install your system.
Excess generation credits will appear on your monthly bill. These can offset your electricity charges and, if they exceed your usage, carry over to future bills.
Absolutely. You can start on any Octopus plan now and switch to a solar-friendly plan once your system is installed.
No — all our residential plans are flexible, with no long-term contracts or break fees.
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