Plug-in batteries
A battery stores the power a kit makes at lunchtime for the evening. Overseas it roughly triples the price of a kit. In New Zealand the rules don't mention it yet.
Not yet legal in New Zealand: expected around mid-2027, no date set. The tracker has every step, and the payback calculator works out what a kit would save you.
What the rules say
Very little so far. The review says only that "some plug-in solar products may also incorporate battery energy storage" (the review). The Electricity Authority says plug-in generation "may or may not include batteries" and notes many overseas standards don't cover them (its paper). No New Zealand rule for or against a plug-in battery exists yet.
Overseas it goes both ways. The UK's law leaves out kits that take power from the mains to store it (SI 2026/848). Germany allows battery kits, and they sell widely.
What they cost in Germany
| Kit | Battery | Price | About NZ$ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yuma 2000 W with EcoFlow STREAM Ultra | 1.92 kWh | €949 | $1,870 |
| Kleines Kraftwerk Duo XL with Anker SOLIX Solarbank 3 Pro | 2.7 kWh | €1,189 | $2,350 |
| Priwatt priBalcony Duo | 3.84 kWh | €1,249 | $2,460 |
The same shops sell kits without a battery for about NZ$610 to NZ$1,000. Prices as shown on 21 October 2026, converted at the ECB rate that day; the kit list has them all.
What you can buy here now
Portable power stations from Bluetti, EcoFlow and Anker sell at Noel Leeming, PB Tech and the brands' own shops, from a few hundred dollars to several thousand (Noel Leeming). Charged from a folding panel, they run a laptop, a fridge in a power cut or the campervan. They never connect to the house wiring, so they don't touch your power bill, and the ban doesn't cover them.
Plug-in kits are not legal to connect in New Zealand yet. When they are, follow the new standard and the maker's instructions, and ask a registered electrician if you are unsure about your wiring.
Questions people ask
Will plug-in batteries be allowed in NZ?
Nobody has said. The Ministry for Regulation's review mentions batteries once, and the Electricity Authority says plug-in generation "may or may not include batteries". The UK left out kits that charge a battery from the mains; Germany allows them.
Can I buy a plug-in battery in NZ now?
You can buy portable power stations, which you charge from a socket or a folding panel and plug appliances into. They are legal because they never feed the house wiring, and they don't lower your bill the way a grid-connected battery would.
Is a battery worth adding to a plug-in kit?
Overseas, a kit with a battery costs two to four times as much as one without. A battery lets you use more of the kit's power in the evening, which matters most if nobody is home in the day.
More guides
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What plug-in solar is
One or two panels, a small inverter and a cable to a normal socket.
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Why it is banned now
A 2012 prohibition notice and one clause in AS/NZS 4777.1.
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Cost and savings
Kit prices overseas, what NZ sellers expect to charge, and payback by city.
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Renters and body corporates
Why this matters most to people who can't put panels on a roof.
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Plug-in or rooftop
Size, price, payback and who each one suits.
Sources
- Improving the solar installation process: final report of the solar regulatory review, Ministry for Regulation, 30 July 2026.
- Exploring plug-in generation and Code improvements for export limits and connection processes: issues and consultation paper, Electricity Authority, 8 September 2026.
- The Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/848), legislation.gov.uk, 16 July 2026.
- Outdoors and portable power, Noel Leeming.