List of funded projects
Recipients of the Māori Housing Renewable Energy Fund.
On this page
Map showing the locations of each of the funding recipients. The projects are listed in the table below.
Funding round 1 — May 2021
| Map reference | Organisation | Project name | Description | Funding |
| 1 | Te Uri o Hau Tangata Development Ltd | Tongiterōria Marae Kaumātua Flats Solar Energy | Installing solar photovoltaic (PV) generation and battery storage for homes of kaumātua. Tongiterōria, Northland | $47,950 |
| 2 | Hāpai Housing Limited Partnership | Hāpai Housing Renewable Energy Project | Adding solar PV and centralised solar-tied hot water technology to new iwi-owned rental housing development. Glen Innes, Auckland | $172,500 |
| 3 | Kokohinau Papakāinga Trust | Kokohinau Papākainga Project | Installing solar PV, batteries and a shared electricity grid for seven marae-based homes including homes of kaumātua and disadvantaged whānau. Te Teko, Bay of Plenty | $345,000 |
| 4 | Tuhua Trust | Tuhua (Mayor Island) Solar Power Project | Installing solar PV and batteries to replace diesel generators that power houses for the island’s permanent kaitiaki. Mayor Island, Bay of Plenty | $100,000 |
| 5 | Manaaki Energy | Manaaki Energy: Rotorua Home PV Installs Manaaki Energy: Hawke’s Bay Home PV Installs | Installing solar PV and batteries for high-needs housing in Hastings and Rotorua, identified in collaboration with local iwi. Rotorua and Hastings | $376,000 |
| 6 | Te Arawa Whānau Ora Charitable Trust | Whiti Te Rā: Supporting whānau to be empowered through solar energy | Upgrading housing with solar PV as the homes proceed through a repairs and energy efficiency programme, focusing on homes with kaumātua and whānau with tamariki. Selected whāre within Rotorua | $150,000 |
| 7 | The Lines Company/Maniapoto Māori Trust Board | Maniapoto Marae Solar Solutions | Installing larger-scale solar generation on a marae and shared through peer-to-peer trading to improve energy outcomes for Māori. Ngāti Maniapoto rohe, King Country | $170,000 |
| 8 | Tūhoe Charitable Trust | Scoping renewable energy for Tūhoe hapū eco-villages | Undertaking a comprehensive study looking at feasibility options for development of renewable energy as part of the Tūhoe hapū eco-villages redevelopment programme. Tūhoe rohe, Te Urewera | $75,000 |
| 9 | Te Whanau a Maruhaeremuri Hapu Trust | Tamanui Te Ra Hei Oranga Mo Maru Renewable Energy Project | Installing solar PV and battery systems for housing on remote papakāinga relying on generators. Apanui region, East Cape | $140,000 |
| 10 | Parihaka Papakāinga Trust | Hiringa Nō Runga, Hiringa Mō Raro | Installing and testing a community micro-grid, which includes solar and battery storage system distributing energy to whānau homes on the papakāinga and peer-to-peer energy sharing to homes further afield. Parihaka, Taranaki | $400,000 |
| 11 | Waingākau Housing Development Ltd/Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga | Waingākau Renewable Energy Project | Retrofitting solar panels onto existing homes and integrating them into new builds at the Waingākau housing development, with a focus on prioritising intergenerational whānau Māori buying their first homes. Flaxmere, Hastings, Hawke’s Bay | $150,000 |
| 12 | Waiohiki Community Charitable Trust | Solar Oranga Project | Retrofitting solar panels onto social housing for the benefit of low-income whānau. Waiohiki, Hawke’s Bay | $150,000 |
| 13 | Reureu Kotahitanga | Kia Whitingia | Installing solar PV generation on marae and some homes with large-scale battery storage and an energy sharing platform to provide electricity to nearby homes. Halcombe, Manawatū | $400,000 |
| 14 | Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu | Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Shared Equity Housing Programme | Installing solar PV generation and batteries on homes that are tenanted by kaumātua and whānau with tamariki as part of Ngāi Tahu programmes and initiatives. Ngāi Tahu Tākiwa | $150,000 |
Funding round 2 — March 2022
| Map reference | Organisation | Project name | Description | Funding |
| 15 | Te Orewai Te Horo Trust, ahu whenua trust for Te Orewai, hapū of Ngāti Hine | Hiko Putaio te Orewai | Installing a virtual solar power network across Te Orewai hapū in Pipiwai to generate power for low-income whānau in energy hardship. Māori energy retailer Nau Mai Rā will provide peer-to-peer services to distribute power to target households through its retail energy platform. Tū Mai Rā Energy will lead the design and install. Te Orewai, Northland | $335,465 |
| 16 | Ahika Propreitary Limited | Te Paniora Hiko | Developing a feasibility study for a fully renewable energy-based smart microgrid covering the 500ha Māori community on Aotea, comprising up to 50 Māori households. Aotea/Great Barrier Island | $50,000 |
| 17 | Wharekahika Māori Committee | Kaumātua Flats – Hick’s Bay | Installing a solar power system to support the power needs of two kaumātua flats in a remote location. Surplus power will be gifted to people in energy hardship that whakapapa back to the Trust. Hicks Bay, East Cape |
$57,500 |
| 18 | Ngāti Uenukukōpako Iwi Trust | Whakapoungakau Iwi Geothermal Energy Grid | Using new technology and infrastructure to draw and pipe geothermal water to heat low-income Māori households near the geothermal field at Rotokawa. Rotokawa, Rotorua |
$550,000 |
| 19 | Te Manatōpū Hau Kāinga o Ōhinemutu on behalf of Ngāti Whakaue | Te Waiāriki o Ōhinemutu (Sacred Waters of Ōhinemutu) | Undertaking a feasibility study on using new technology geothermal energy systems for the households at Ōhinemutu who traditionally accessed their geothermal taonga for heating, cooking and bathing. Ōhinemutu, Rotorua |
$50,000 |
| 20 | Ngāti Maniapoto Marae Pact Trust, Solar Sense Limited, Nau Mai Rā Energy | Maniapoto Energy Sovereignty Project | A joint partnership between Ngāti Maniapoto Marae Pact Trust, Solar Sense and Nau Mai Rā installing sun-tracking solar arrays on Maniapoto whenua. Electricity will be distributed through the Nau Mai Rā retail network to target households across Aotearoa New Zealand. Maniapoto/King Country |
$386,045 |
| 21 | Wharariki (Flax) Trust | Healthy Housing Repairs Programme Hawke’s Bay | Installing PV grid-tied solar power system on 15 houses, including a hot water diverter that uses surplus solar to heat hot water, building on the Trust’s home repairs and energy coaching programme. Hawke’s Bay | $180,725 |
| 22 | Rapihana Hawaikirangi Ahu Whenua Trust | Te Piringa Papakāinga Renewable Energy Project | Installing solar panels and battery storage systems to service five whānau homes at the Te Piringa Papakāinga development. Waiohiki, Hawke’s Bay | $96,600 |
| 23 | Te Puna Oranga o Ōtaki Charitable Trust | Te Puna Oranga o Ōtaki | Installing solar panels and batteries for whānau, integrating with existing energy and housing initiatives that support low- income Māori households. Ōtaki, Kāpiti Coast |
$150,000 |
| 24 | Te Āhuru Mōwai Limited Partnership in partnership with Victoria University of Wellington | He āhuru mōwai mō te waka pūngao | Installing solar panels, power measurement sensors and a community- based battery system to supply power to about 20 target households. A new demand management technology system developed by Victoria University researchers will also be trialled. Porirua, Wellington |
$414,000 |
| 25 | Marlborough Sustainable Housing Trust | Marlborough Social Housing Trust - Blenheim | Installing solar panels and mechanical ventilation heat exchange systems during the construction of three fully accessible social houses. Surplus electricity will be sold back to the grid. Blenheim |
$75,360* |
| 26 | Te Ranga Mangōpare Charitable Trust | Kaumātua flats based at Rehua Marae | Installing a power resiliency microgrid solar panelling system and household batteries to distribute the power to five kaumātua flats on Rehua Marae. Christchurch | $200,000 |
*Funding for this project is split between the Māori housing and public housing funding pools. The project meets the criteria for both sides of the Fund and tenants are selected from the Social Housing Register in line with the Fund’s priorities.
Funding round 3 small-scale projects — September 2022
| Map reference | Organisation | Project name | Description | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Whakapaumahara Marae | Whakapaumahara Renewable Energy Community Hub | Establishing an energy hub at Whakapaumahara Marae where solar energy is generated, stored and shared via a power resiliency micro-grid system. Energy efficiency improvement is enabled by power measurement sensors to and a community power-saving education programme. Power will be supplied to up to 6 whare, prioritising those in need on whenua Māori papakāinga. Whananaki, Northland | $86,957 |
| 28 | Huia Faith Taha Moana Trust | Huia Faith Taha Moana Trust | A solar energy system and household batteries installed on 5 remote whare that are reliant on generators. Pātaua South, Northland | $167,445 |
| 29 | He Korowai Tiaki Tangata Charitable Trust | He Korowai Tiaki Tangata Solar Power Project | Solar PV, batteries and solar thermal storage installed on 7 homes to support whānau living on ancestral whenua Māori. Whangārei | $147,763 |
| 30 | Ngātiwai Trust Board | Te Rangi Paki o Ngātiwai | Solar panels and energy storage equipment installed on eight Ngātiwai Marae along Te Ākau Roa o Ngātiwai (eastern coastline from the Bay of Islands to Mahurangi, Auckaland) creating a Ngātiwai virtual power network. Surplus power from marae solar panels will be shared with rural homes under the kaupapa of Te Poari o Ngātiwai known as Te Rangi Paki o Ngātiwai, with a focus on households with kaumātua and whānau with tamariki. Te Ākau Roa o Ngātiwai, Northland | $246,746 |
| 31 | Ngāti Te Ara | Ngāti Te Ara Solar Incentive Scheme | Solar panels and batteries to power 17 homes, prioritising households with elderly members, tamariki, those with health issues and households not connected to the national grid. Kawiti Valley, Northland | $300,000 |
| 32 | Rehutai whānau with Build Sense Limited | Te uri o Rehutai Whānau Project | Solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar-thermal renewable energy sources to power 9 homes on whenua Māori, removing reliance on fossil gas and generators for the off-grid households. Build Sense will install solar hot water and wetback-capable cylinders. Whakapara, Te Taitokerau | $269,418 |
| 33 | Waikare Community Development & Research Trust on behalf of John Wikaire Whanau Trust | Waikare Housing for Te Kapotai Hapū | Solar panels and household batteries installed to power 4 intergenerational households on whenua Māori. Waikare Valley, Northland | $112,228 |
| 34 | Rereteewhioi Marae | Rereteewhioi Marae and Kaumātua Housing | Solar panels installed on Rereteewhioi Marae and 5 onsite kaumātua units. Surplus power will be shared through Nau Mai Rā's peer-to-peer platform to kaumātua in the community and other whānau experiencing energy hardship. Auckland | $185,725 |
| 35 | Papakāinga Power Up Company | Ngāruawāhia Papakāinga Renewable Energy Collective | Solar systems including panels, batteries and technology for 16 new and existing whare owned by a collective of Whānau Papakāinga Trusts. 'Creating a Legacy of intergenerational wealth, thriving whānau and environmental champions'. Ngāruawāhia. Waikato | $327,257 |
| 36 | Mangatawa Papamoa Blocks Incorporation | Mangatawa Papamoa Blocks Incorporation - solar and community battery | A private solar smart grid across 35 homes in the Mangatawa papakāinga feeding into a community battery. Installation by Tū Mai Rā Energy. Papamoa, Bay of Plenty | $400,000 |
| 37 | Raukawa Charitable Trust | Ngatira Papakāinga Project - He Korowai o te Ao Hou Ki Ngatira | A microgrid solar PV power system with batteries installed on 7 homes supporting all whānau living in the papakāinga. Ngātira, Waikato | $140,880 |
| 38 | Tūwharetoa Health Charitable Trust with The Lines Company and Maru Energy Trust | Tūwharetoa Solar | This project benefits 9 homes by installing solar panels on some homes and distributing the surplus power to heat the hot water cylinders of others, effectively storing energy like a battery. Two homes will have an energy- efficient heat pump hot water cylinder installed as a comparison. The trial targets households experiencing energy hardship in the Tūwharetoa rohe and on The Lines Company network. Tūwharetoa rohe | $165,217 |
| 39 | Pukahu 33D 2H1 Māori Reservation Trust | Te Pukahu Papakāinga - Pukahu 33D 2H1 Māori Reservation Trust | Solar PV energy panels and solar thermal storage installed on 4 whare on Te Pukahu Papakāinga. Pakipaki, Hawke's Bay | $87,040 |
| 40 | Te Rangiao Trust | Te Rangiao Trust Kāinga o te Rā | Solar panels and batteries installed on 5 of the Trust's rental properties, supporting low-income households. Whanganui | $127,444 |
| 41 | Te Ore Ore Marae | Te Ore Ore Marae Renewable Energy Project | A 50kW solar array and communal batteries installed at Te Ore Ore Marae to power up to 9 kaumātua homes via a microgrid. All houses will receive an equal share of the solar power. Masterton | $102,174 |
| 42 | Te Āwhina Marae | Te Āwhina Marae (TAM) Papakāinga | Solar thermal energy efficient hot water systems installed on the 20-house papakāinga, currently being constructed. Motueka | $145,600 |
Funding round 3 large-scale projects – September 2023
| Map reference | Organisation | Project name | Description | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | Pōtahi Marae | Te Kao Energy Resilience Project | A 175kW solar array at Pōtahi Marae will generate electricity that is stored in a community-owned and operated microgrid. Power will be distributed to 25 households in the remote Northland community. Partners are Tū Mai Rā Energy, Foundation North, Overlay Ltd, Top Energy. Te Kao, Northland | $750,000 |
| 44 | Hokianga Housing Resilience Collective | Te Ohu Kāinga O Hokianga | Hokianga Electricity Hardship Reduction Project 2023-2024 Te Hiko Takitaki O Hokianga: He Papakāinga Te Hikutu Hapū-Whānau Project 2023-2024 |
This project will increase renewable electricity generation at an eco-papakāinga in Hokianga using a hybrid system that combines community-sized solar arrays with battery storage for 2 marae plus individual solar home systems and explore future potential of wind generation. The project will provide energy cost reduction benefits to residents of 54 homes. The Hokianga Housing Resilience Collective is partnering with Front-End Solar Technologies Ltd and Massey University to monitor outcomes and health improvements from renewable energy systems. Hokianga, Northland. | $1,350,000 |
| 45 | Te Ao Mauri Ora Ltd | Hihīko Ngāpuhi | Utilising a Power Purchase Agreement in partnership with an energy retailer, generation from a 240kW AC solar array will offset power bills of up to 80 homes in the Ohaeawai and Kaikohe area, prioritising whānau in need. This is a Māori-led initiative informed by whakapapa and kōrero tawhito of Te Ao Mauri Ora and McKay Ltd and partnering with Te Pūtahi-Nui-o-Rehua Charitable Trust and Ecotricity. Ohaeawai, Northland | $670,000 |
| 46 | Te Uira ō Te Ringa Ltd, Aotea Energy | Te Uira ō Te Ringa | This project realises a renewable energy feasibility study that was supported by Round 2 of this Fund. A 32kW solar array and 190kWh battery solution, which has been developed by Aotea Energy, will service 10 homes and a marae. A microgrid will distribute power to serve about 47 nearby homes on Māori land on Aotea. This project will decrease the reliance on generators. Aotea / Great Barrier Island | $620,093 |
| 47 | Te Huata Solar LP | Te Whānau-ā-Apanui (Te Kaha) – Community Solar Energy Project | A community-owned 1000kW solar array and 500kW battery will supply a microgrid system using an innovative retail solution. This solution will create a community-based power delivery model to support about 200 households in Te Kaha. Real-time management of energy distribution and demand-management allows the community to take advantage of times when power prices are lower and maximise selling power when prices are higher. Partners include Tū Mai Rā Energy, Overlay Ltd, Horizon Networks. Te Kaha, Eastern Bay of Plenty | $1,350,000 |
| 48 | Ngāti Maniapoto Marae PACT Trust | The Ngāti Maniapoto Marae PACT Trust Mini-Hydro Plant Project | The Trust's earlier feasibility study identified capacity to build a small-scale hydropower system with a generation capacity of 16kW on a river that flows through Ngāti Maniapoto whenua, with minimal to no environmental impact. The mini-hydro plant and supporting network infrastructure will generate electricity to provide revenue to reverse energy poverty for whānau in power poverty no matter where they live in New Zealand. The plant will supplement a previous solar generation funded project where support was provided to 15 Māori whānau households experiencing energy hardship. Partners for this project include Solar Senses Ltd, Hydro Engineer Advisor, with support from local marae and hapū in the Maniapoto region. | $500,000 |
| 49 | Rangitāne o Tamaki-Nui-ā-Rua | Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-ā-Rua - Utility-Scale Solar Farm | This Fund will contribute to installing a 1MW solar array. Rangitāne o Tamaki-nui-ā-Rua will be empowered to distribute the benefits from the solar farm to up to 450 low-income households. Dannevirke, Central Hawke’s Bay. | $1,200,000 |
Last updated: 28 September 2022