If you’d like to be part of this trial, here are a few key things you need to know:

• We’ll pay for the battery system (4.8 kWh battery). Through SkySolar, you select the solar panels with a minimum capacity of 3 kW and pay for the installation of the solar array and battery pack. You can upgrade, now or later, the battery capacity in 2.4 kWh increments to a total of 9.6 kWh.
• You’ll need to own your property and be within specific areas between Oriental Bay and Berhampore (see map above - you need to live inside the indicated boundaries).
• You’ll take part in the WCC resilient neighbourhood programme by becoming a neighbourhood grid (cost permitting).
• At times, you’ll need to let Contact remotely control and manage the battery during the two-year trial.
• We’ll be monitoring your electricity usage and the solar/battery system so we’ll need to use your broadband connection.
• You need to provide ongoing feedback on the trial through a customer panel.
• You must be a Contact customer for the full two-year trial.

We’ll pay for the battery system for the trial (about $6,000 incl. GST).  For allowing us to manage and control the battery, you’ll also get a $500 (incl. GST) rebate on your power account at the end of each of the two years in the trial period.  To receive the $500 (incl. GST) rebate each year, you must be a Contact customer for the entire year.

As part of the trial, we’ll remotely control and manage the battery. This is to test how the battery can maximise the use of the solar energy you generate by storing it for later use rather than exporting it to the grid, increasing the benefit to you, and supporting the electricity system in times of high demand.  We may support the electricity system through using the energy stored in your battery to provide power to your home, or by exporting the stored energy to the grid. If energy is exported from the battery to the grid, you will be paid the standard Contact distributed generation export rate, as well as receiving a $500 (incl. GST) rebate each year of the two year trial.

The solar battery system utilises a smart hybrid inverter and will continue to operate and provide electricity to your household even if the local electricity network is out of service, such as during a natural disaster event or other network interruptions.

Having a neighbourhood grid on your property means during extended power outages, a small group of neighbours will be able to access your stored power to charge their devices. We’ll ensure access arrangements to the charge point suit you.

As well as supporting the people in your community, you’ll be contributing to a more decentralised energy network that will perform better during and after a major event like a storm or an earthquake.

Wellington City Council and Contact will support your involvement in the neighbourhood grid project and in your community, and there’ll be opportunities to meet with the other trial households too.

In return for your contribution to community resilience, we’ll help you increase the resilience of your home with

• a 200 litre emergency water tank (valued at $105 incl GST)
• a full 9kg gas bottle of LPG and two refills (valued at $140 incl GST)
• a free Home Energy Saver Assessment by Sustainability Trust

To enable Contact to remotely manage the battery, we will require the battery to utilise your broadband connection during the trial.

Contact will provide a comprehensive energy monitoring solution to each trial participant. Initially this will require collecting data about solar generation, battery charging and discharging and home consumption and export, as well as the use of your broadband connection. Our hardware and software have been rolled out but continues to be further enhanced – and we’d love you to be amongst the first to trial the new platform.  You’ll be able to monitor your solar and battery performance and household consumption in real-time.  There are no additional charges for this integrated monitoring.

Ongoing feedback is key to the success of this trial so we’ll be asking you to share your experiences through discussions and surveys.  You’ll also have plenty of opportunities to ask questions about any aspects of the trial.

We’ll email you an invitation to join our customer panel, just click on the link in the email and you’re in.

We’ll be sharing information and insights with you throughout the trial, there is likely to be some tuning of the performance when your system is first installed.

At the end of the trial, your solar and battery system will continue to operate and will remain under the warranty terms that you have signed up for with the SkySolar.  Depending on the outcome of the trial, Contact may extend the utility control offering and associated bill rebate.  The real-time monitoring solution is an early and we are exploring its value.  When the trial ends, we’ll decide whether to continue with development.

Yes, you will own the battery once installed, but during the two year trial period, Contact will manage the operation of the battery from time to time.

Yes, there will be technical support available, in the first instance through SkySolar.

Prospective participants will need to be referred to us, live in the right area, and meet the other trial requirements.

We are looking for around 25 households to be part of the trial. This will be on a first come, first served basis, as well as taking into consideration the eligibility of the property.

We are working to have installations begin in June with the trial starting on 1 September 2017.

The battery that has been selected is a ‘Pylontech’ battery and is safety tested and certified to International Standards.

During the two year trial period, Contact will manage the battery operations. You will be provided with monitoring capability and will be able to provide feedback.

Contact will credit your electricity bill for the full $500 (incl. GST) at the end of each 12 months during the two year trial period. You need to remain a Contact Energy retail customer for the full year in order to receive the payment. You will still receive full payment for any exported electricity on your monthly bill and this is in addition to the $500 (incl. GST) payment per year.

SkySolar will be providing the equipment, technical support and warranty.

You will continue to own the solar and battery system. Contact may look to continue to control and manage the battery system although this would require an agreement which provides your consent.

We would appreciate you committing to the trial only if you are reasonably sure you will be in your home for the next two years.  If an unforeseen circumstance arises, you can assign the rights and obligations of your trial agreement to the new owners.