The environmental benefits of powering your home with solar energy
29/04/2025
Powering your home with a solar energy system is an easy way to cut your carbon footprint. Solar panels generate energy that doesn't emit any carbon as you are literally powering your home on sunshine. Paired with the fact that the solar panels pay for themselves many times over with the renewable energy they generate , there's never been an easier way to make a significant impact to your household's carbon emissions. Here are some of the environmental benefits solar panels will contribute to your home.
Production of the solar system
Solar panels are made from silicon dioxide, which is the same material as sand. The energy and carbon emissions used to make solar panels will pay for themselves many times over as the system generates energy once installed. It takes approximately 4 years for a solar energy system to generate the same amount of energy used to create the panels. And a solar energy system will keep generating energy for up to 30 years.
Lower your carbon emissions
Powering your home with a combination of solar power and energy from Ecotricity is one of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Solar energy provides renewable energy from the sun to power your home. With Ecotricity, any additional energy you need to top up your home’s energy use comes from 100% Toitū climate positive certified energy. This means that your energy only comes from 100% renewable energy sources – wind, hydro and solar. Without having to make any big changes you are saving carbon and doing your part for the environment. Once you join Ecotricity, we'll keep you updated with your carbon savings.
Contributing renewable energy to the grid
Our ecoSOLAR plan rewards you for exporting solar during peak pricing periods. Peak pricing periods are from 7-11am, and 5-9pm. The peak periods reflect when demand for energy is highest – when Kiwis are getting ready to go to work and school, and when they’re getting home. By providing excess solar energy to the grid during this time, you are providing 100% renewable energy to the grid, which reduces the need for carbon emitting power to be used during this time.
Recycling solar panels
A key concern of many homeowners installing solar panels is what happens to the system at the end of its life. In NZ, Phoenix Recycling has recently been awarded the first solar panel recycling permit. Their recycling systems will allow up to 98% of the solar panel materials to be recycled. Paired with the fact that solar panels last for up to 30 years, you can have peace of mind that you are making a long term, sustainable investment.
