Heretaunga Kindergarten Association - Solar Project

20 Mar 2026

In 2024, ECCT granted $100,000 to the Heretaunga Kindergarten Association to install solar panels across 16 kindergartens in Hawke’s Bay. Many of these kindergartens serve communities in low socio-economic areas, where additional support for tamariki is often needed.

The project’s impact goes beyond sustainability. By reducing electricity costs, the savings are being redirected into resources that make a real difference for children and families. Outcomes include hiring an early intervention speech and language therapist, providing food and clothing for tamariki who need extra support and offering 50% more free hours to ease financial pressure on families.

The impact is already clear: October 2025, average power costs dropped to $45 per kindergarten, compared to $250 at the same time last year—even after a 10% increase in power prices. Installation across all sites was completed in September 2025, and the benefits continue to grow. This initiative demonstrates how renewable energy can deliver both environmental and social equity outcomes—creating stronger, more resilient communities for the future.