WE Share — How It Works
The Concept
WE Share is a values-based framework that helps communities shape how local energy is generated, stored, and shared. It supports people and partners to work together on approaches that are fair, resilient, and sustainable — with benefits and influence kept in community hands.
Our approach is simple: encourage local generation where possible, enable shared use supported by aligned partners, create clear and transparent participation pathways, and foster open collaboration. Together, these elements form a living model for community-aligned energy that can grow and adapt across Aotearoa.
How It Works — Step by Step
1
Local Generation
Homes, businesses, and community sites host solar and battery systems that produce clean energy where it is used.
2
Shared Storage and Use
Where appropriate, systems can be connected so energy is stored and shared, reducing waste and reliance on the central grid.
3
Community Ownership
The long-term plan is to grow toward a community cooperative on Waiheke, once there’s enough participation and scale to support shared benefits.
4
Partner Support
Technical partners bring expertise, while community leadership and the stewardship framework keep the work community-first and aligned with shared values.
5
Clear Participation
Simple, open processes help everyone see how to take part and how decisions are shaped.
This step-by-step approach is designed to keep more of the benefits and decisions close to home — supporting people and communities rather than distant interests.
Why It’s Different
Built for People, Not Profit
WE Share isn’t a conventional business. It’s a values-based community framework designed for fairness, resilience, and sustainability.
The work grows carefully and step by step — guided by evidence, long-term viability, and community consent.
We’re committed to creating real participation pathways for households who need support, not just those who can already afford it.
The approach is documented through the open-source WE Share Blueprint, making it easier for other communities to learn from what’s happening on Waiheke and adapt elements that suit their own context.
We’re working alongside trusted partners — including energy retailers, lines companies, and technology providers within community-defined boundaries to support fair and accessible participation in local energy.
Unlike most energy initiatives, WE Share is not a product or a corporate-driven programme — it is community-led and values-based. A community-led application, coordinated through the WE Share initiative, has asked the Electricity Authority to explore recognising a new category for COMMUNITY POWER systems, enabling locally led, values-aligned models to participate safely within the national market.
We’re working toward a 10-year community plan for Waiheke to become energy-positive — producing more clean energy locally than we use, with surplus benefit flowing back into the island and the wider grid.
Growth is coordinated through the framework and shaped by real evidence, emerging opportunities, and what the community is ready to support at each step.
Call to Action
Get involved today. Whether you’re a household, business, installer, or supporter — there’s a role for you in shaping the future of community energy.
Together, we can create a practical, fair, and resilient energy system that others can follow.