Solar Energy power generation is still very much in its infancy in New Zealand and the technology has been slow to be embraced by Electricity Generators, as well as New Zealand's Central Government.

According to EECA (May 2001), Solar Thermal Power Plants (as seen in many parts of Europe, Africa and the US) were considered economically unviable, due to variation in solar radiation across the country.

While Solar Thermal Power Plants may not be viable, massive leaps in the Solar Photo-voltaic panel technology has made Solar Energy a real contender in the domestic and commercial sectors.

Solar PV has become a hot topic in New Zealand over the past 5 years, due in part to the continued decline in costs associated with PV technology, the continued rise in retail electricity prices and a significant increase in the number of companies that have arisen to service the potential market demand for Solar power.

Public awareness has grown significantly over the past few years, creating a desire in the market to invest in PV technology.

Generally speaking, public interest falls into one or more categories:

• A desire to invest money in something tangible, like the family home or the company office, effectively adding value to the property;
• A desire to gain a level of independance from the Energy Retail sectors, either due to continuing price rises or just to gain a sense of self-sufficiency;
• A desire to invest in Green Technology;
• A desire to generate additional revenue through the use of passive technology and by negotiating rebates with the various energy retailers for best market return;
• A desire to cut a company's ongoing running costs, in order to maximise potential profit margins over the next 25 years, etc