For a while now in New Zealand, the energy conversation has felt like an all-or-nothing choice. Gas or electric. Commentary often talks about going fully electric, and many homeowners are left wondering what that means for the things they genuinely enjoy - cooking with a flame, instant hot water, a cosy gas fire on a cold winter’s night, or firing up the barbie with friends and family.
The good news is it doesn’t have to be one or the other.
For many Kiwi homes, the smartest, most practical, and most comfortable option is a balanced mix of gas and solar, working together side by side.
Source: iStock image
Why so many New Zealanders still love gas
Gas has earned its place in New Zealand homes over decades of everyday living.
Cooking with gas offers instant heat and precise control that many people simply prefer. There’s a confidence and connection that comes from cooking with a real flame. Gas hot water systems are another favourite, delivering reliable, on-demand hot water without worrying about timing showers or running out at the wrong moment. When it comes to home heating, gas provides fast, dependable warmth, and gas fireplaces offer more than heat alone - they create comfort, atmosphere, and a real sense of home.
And of course, there’s the barbie. For many Kiwi households, cooking outdoors on gas isn’t just convenient, it’s part of the lifestyle.
For a lot of homeowners, gas isn’t just an energy source. It’s part of how they live day to day.
Source: iStock image
Why solar is an easy yes
At the same time, it’s easy to see why solar has become so popular across New Zealand.
Solar panels allow homeowners to capture energy from the sun and turn it into electricity for everyday use, particularly during the middle of the day when sunshine is abundant. This can support total electricity generation and help bring power bills down over time. Solar also provides a future-focused way to lower emissions without giving up comfort or convenience.
Once installed, solar quietly does its job in the background, generating electricity whenever the sun is shining.
How gas and solar complement each other
Energy choices in your home or business should be about what works best for you, your budget and lifestyle. Gas and solar can work extremely well together. A combined approach allows each energy source to do what it does best.
Solar can cover a large portion of a home’s electricity needs during the day, powering lighting, appliances, home offices, and electronics using energy from the sun. Gas steps in for the moments when instant heat and reliability matter most - cooking meals, heating water and warming living spaces.
By sharing the workload, solar helps support electricity demand, while gas provides dependable performance regardless of weather or time of day. The result is a home that feels efficient, flexible, and comfortable year-round.
A sensible path forward for homeowners
For homeowners who love gas, you can feel confident to continue to use this.
Adding solar panels to a gas-powered home is a sensible, balanced way to make use of renewable energy, and still enjoy the control, comfort, and familiarity that gas provides.
This approach recognises a simple reality which is that different energy sources are good at different things.
Enjoying the best of both worlds
The future of energy in New Zealand doesn’t have to mean fewer choices or less enjoyment at home.
For many households, the sweet spot sits right in the middle — gas for the moments that matter, and solar for making the most of our abundant sunshine.
It’s not about picking sides. It’s about creating a home energy setup that works for you today, adapts for tomorrow, and still lets you enjoy the little things that make a house feel like home.
Illustration created with AI. For visual purposes only.
Looking to the future
As New Zealand plans for the long term, the energy system is evolving to support change without losing reliability. A range of options are being explored to ensure households and businesses continue to have access to dependable energy as we transition. This includes looking at domestic gas supply, infrastructure development, and the potential role liquefied natural gas, or LNG, could play in supporting the wider energy system.
Emerging renewable gases such as biomethane and green hydrogen also have the potential to play a growing role over time as technology develops and scales. These innovations mean gas can continue supporting homes and businesses, while the energy system becomes progressively cleaner.
Firstgas is part of the Clarus group of energy companies, which invests in research and development in renewables and closely monitors international progress. Together, Firstgas and Clarus are helping chart a practical path toward cleaner, more efficient energy. This includes initiatives such as upgrading biogas into biomethane and trialling hydrogen blending into existing gas networks.
For more information, visit clarus.co.nz/future-of-energy/the-future-of-gas
