The importance of heat pump water heaters
In New Zealand, water heating accounts for over 30% of household energy use, making it the second largest home energy cost after space heating.
Traditionally, electric storage water heaters (hot water cylinders) have been the dominant technology used in New Zealand (80,000 units sold each year), followed by gas water heaters (mostly instantaneous).
HPWH technology provides consumers with an energy efficient, alternative for domestic hot water supply that can significantly reduce household energy use for hot water, by 50% or more.
Consultation on policy options
A Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (CRIS) has been prepared to look at regulatory policy options for increasing the energy efficiency of HPWH. The CRIS was developed by DCCEEW on behalf of the joint New Zealand and Australian E3 programme.
The options considered in the CRIS include:
- Business as Usual (BAU), i.e. no change to the current situation.
- Develop a Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) to be set at the current market level and a voluntary information provision.
- Develop a MEPS to be set at the current market level and mandatory information provision.
In addition to the regulatory policy options, the CRIS examines technical considerations such as test standards, and the information that could be required to be displayed that impact the options.
Submissions
Submissions to the consultation will be used to provide recommendations to the New Zealand Government, and further regulatory consultation will occur before any regulatory change.
Submissions can be provided to star@eeca.govt.nz and are subject to the terms below.
| Consultation open | 2 October 2025 |
| Consultation closes | 31 October 2025 |
| Hot water heat pumps CRIS | Consultation document [PDF 2.1 MB] |
| DCCEEW's consultation page | E3 Heat Pump Water Heaters - public consultation on proposed regulation | DCCEEW(external link) |