The Big idea
Rewiring the System from the Rooftop Up
The current energy model is based on centralised control, costly infrastructure, and energy flowing one way. WeShare is building something different: distributed, intelligent, people-powered.
The future isn’t built from a single grid. It’s built from connected communities.
WeShare’s big idea is simple: create a platform where everyday people generate, store, and share power. Not as customers, but as participants. Not for profit, but for resilience, equity, and collective ownership.
What It Looks Like in Action
What We’ve Done:
- Installed over 60 hybrid solar systemswith founding members — tested for performance, reliability, and user experience
- Ran a peer-to-peer energy sharing pilot(MTR) in collaboration with Our Energy
- Hosted numerous community workshops and energy symposiumsover the years across Waiheke to gather insight and shape direction
What We’re Doing Now:
- Rolling out a 50-unit solar and battery pilotas the next major step in community-scale deployment
- Developing Virtual Power Plant (VPP) pilots across Waihekein partnership with Ecotricity, Vector, SEANZ, and Our Energy to aggregate distributed generation
- Building an open-source Community Energy Blueprint Toolkitfor replication
- Reducing system costs through economies of scale— working with supply and installation partners to make solar and battery access more affordable for the community
- Pursuing both micro and macro funding mechanisms— enabling individuals and institutions to access systems through clear, accessible, and informed financial pathways
What’s Being Planned:
- Large-scale solar installationsthat support commercial, institutional, and multi-unit properties
- Community-scale battery installationsto enhance local energy storage and grid support
- MTR sandbox establishmenton Waiheke to enable regulatory testing and innovation for peer-to-peer trading
- Ongoing collaborationwith energy retailers and lines companies to enable community-led participation in future grid models
- Expanded funding structures— including cooperative investment, grant-aligned programs, and simplified access pathways to ensure no one is locked out due to complexity or cost
Core Concepts
- Distributed Generation
Rooftop solar and battery systems aren’t just about savings — they’re the building blocks of local energy sovereignty. - Smart Energy Sharing
Peer-to-peer and multi-entity trading frameworks that let communities share surplus energy through emerging tech platforms. - Data That Empowers
Transparent dashboards, system monitoring, and open-source performance insights — because people deserve to understand how power works. - Scalable, Adaptable Models
The idea isn’t to centralise this knowledge — it’s to make it replicable, exportable, and adaptable in other towns, islands, and nations.
Why It Matters
This is a critical moment in history. Climate impacts are accelerating. Grid costs are rising. People are locked out of energy decisions.
WeShare’s big idea is about putting tools in community hands — from solar to software to self-determination. This is how we unlock a future that’s not just sustainable, but shared.