WE Share Solar and Battery System Guide
Introduction
This guide sets the benchmark for the 50 additional installations in the current stage of the WE Share Community Power pilot. It outlines the key components of each solar and battery system, explains why certain standards are required, and helps you understand what you’re investing in, how it benefits your household, and how it contributes to the wider community.
Each section is written in clear, non-technical language so you can easily see what your system includes, what performance to expect, and why these choices matter for reliability, safety, and long-term value.
What’s in Your System
Every participant in this stage of 50 installations receives a complete, high-quality solar and battery package — fully operational and connected to the WE Share Community Power project.
Your System Includes:
- Solar panels that turn sunlight into electricity.
- A battery that stores extra energy for night-time or emergencies.
- An inverter that manages power between your panels, battery, and the grid.
- A switchover system (EPS / Critical Systems Supply) that provides battery power to essential items like lights, fridge, or phone chargers when the grid fails.
- A monitoring app that shows your system’s performance and allows remote control of your battery settings.
- Professional installation and safety checks by SEANZ-accredited installers.
All systems meet or exceed the standards jointly established by WE Share, Ecotricity, and our technical partners.
Solar Panels (Electricity Generation)
Minimum Specification: 5 kWp total generation capacity (absolute minimum for pilot participation; 6–7 kWp or more preferred).
Why: A 5 kWp solar array is the minimum size needed to effectively pair with a 7 kWh battery. Larger arrays (6–7 kWp or more) are encouraged as they provide stronger performance in winter, greater energy independence, and flexibility for electric vehicle charging and future community sub-pilots.
Panel Requirements:
- Tier 1 panels (LONGi, Trina, REC, JA Solar, or Elite)
- Minimum 25-year performance warranty
- Designed, manufactured, and warrantied specifically for high-salt coastal environments such as Waiheke Island
- In short: Balanced system design, built to last in Waiheke coastal conditions.
Batteries (Energy Storage)
Minimum Specification: 7 kWh usable capacity.
Why: A 7 kWh battery is the minimum size used in this pilot. It enables flexible use of stored solar power and supports smart energy functions such as selling energy during high-value periods and storing it when prices are lower. In general, your battery stores daytime excess power for night use, provides backup power during outages, and contributes to community energy balancing. The system works automatically — no manual switching required.
Battery Requirements:
- Minimum 10-year warranty
- 90% depth-of-discharge capability
- In short: Your battery helps you use solar energy efficiently, lowers power costs, provides reliable backup during outages, and supports the broader WE Share Community Power network.
Inverter
Minimum Specification: WE Share / SEANZ approved hybrid inverter compliant with AS/NZS 4777.
Why: The inverter is the ‘brain’ of your system. It ensures power flows safely between your solar panels, battery, and the grid, while also enabling emergency backup (EPS mode) when the grid fails.
Approved Products (initial list):
- Sigenergy
- FoxESS
- In short: The inverter makes your system fully automatic and safe to operate. It manages power flows between your home, batteries, and the grid while providing system monitoring — so you can simply save money and enjoy being part of the WE Share Community Power Pilot.
Monitoring and Smart Metering
Mandatory: Real-time monitoring with a DG-certified smart meter.
Why: Monitoring gives you clear visibility of your solar generation, battery use, and grid imports/exports. It also supports WE Share’s energy optimisation and innovation work by securely sharing verified performance data.
Requirements:
- Secure data connection via your home Wi-Fi, shared with WE Share partners for verified performance and management.
- Simple app or web dashboard for participants to view production, consumption, and savings data.
- In short: Monitoring helps you track your savings, supports better community energy planning, and enables innovation within the WE Share Community Power framework.
Installation Standards
Mandatory Requirement: Installation by SEANZ-accredited professionals (or overseen by) following AS/NZS 5033, AS/NZS 4777, and NZS 1170.2 standards.
Why: Quality installation is critical for safety, reliability, and long-term performance — especially in coastal environments like Waiheke.
Materials:
- Marine-grade fixings and UV-resistant cabling
- Certified isolators and safety components
- In short: Every system is installed to New Zealand’s highest electrical, mechanical, and safety standards.
Warranties and Support
Minimum Requirements:
- Panels: 25-year performance / 10-year product
- Battery: 10-year full replacement or performance warranty
- Inverter: 10-year warranty
- Installation workmanship: 5-year minimum guarantee
Why: These warranties protect your investment and ensure long-term reliability under the WE Share framework.
- In short: Your system is backed by strong warranties, professional support, and trusted WE Share partners — ensuring performance, reliability, and peace of mind for decades to come.