The 2026 SEANZ Aotearoa Industry Awards were a proud night for our team. Future Energy was named Best Large Business, won Best Off-Grid PV System for our work in Fiji’s Yasawa Islands, and was named among the winners of the Best Grid-Connected PV System award. Run by the Sustainable Energy Association New Zealand (SEANZ), these awards recognise the businesses and projects shaping the country’s move to clean, reliable energy, so being acknowledged in three categories in one night means a great deal to everyone here.
Three wins at the 2026 SEANZ Aotearoa Industry Awards
Two of the awards were outright wins for Future Energy, and the third was shared with a group of companies on a landmark commercial project. Here is what each one recognises, and why it matters for the homes and businesses we work with across Aotearoa.
Best Large Business
The Rise Energy Best Large Business award recognises the health, growth and integrity of a company as a whole, judged on customer satisfaction, staff development, trading history and being an equal-opportunities employer. Future Energy was named the winner on the strength of what the team has built in just six years: 76 people across seven regions, more than 5,000 installations completed, 14.5 MW of generation and over 6,200 kWh of battery storage deployed, 16 apprentices in training, and 22 percent of leadership roles held by women. We hold a 4.8-star rating across more than 300 Google reviews.
We design and install solar, battery storage, heat pumps, hot water systems, ventilation and EV charging, and we do it as an independent, brand-agnostic company, working across leading names including Tesla, SolaX, Sigenergy, Longi and Panasonic. That means our advice is guided by what suits each customer rather than by any single supplier. Both of New Zealand’s major political parties have chosen Future Energy sites to launch their solar policies, and SEANZ selected us for its SolarAssure IQ pilot. This award reflects that whole-of-business approach, underscored by trust and integrity.
Best Off-Grid PV System: the Yasawa Islands
The Taspac Energy Best Off-Grid PV System award went to our off-grid installation across three remote resorts in Fiji’s Yasawa Islands, one of the most rewarding projects in our history. Working with our battery and technology partner SolaX, we paired 760kW of solar with 1.6MW of battery storage, and co-developed the control system that runs solar, battery and the resorts’ existing diesel generators together as a single microgrid. Diesel costs fell by 35 percent in the first six months, with around 50 percent expected across the full year, and roughly 464 tonnes of carbon dioxide are now avoided each year. When Fiji diesel prices jumped 80 percent, the resorts barely felt it.
Getting there was not straightforward. Five containers of equipment were shipped by sea and barge, and on islands with no jetty the panels and batteries were hand-carried across the beach. Just as importantly, we trained eight local Fijian technicians to run and maintain the system, so the benefits stay in the community long after our team flew home. It is a clear example of what off-grid solar and battery storage can do in places the grid does not reach.
Named among the winners of Best Grid-Connected PV System
The Independent Power Best Grid-Connected PV System award was won by the team behind the Fisher & Paykel Appliances headquarters in Penrose, Auckland, a striking commercial installation of around 506kWp that includes solar across curved roofs and a photovoltaic feature wall. This was a collaborative project led by Revolve Energy, alongside Fisher & Paykel Appliances, Aotea Electric Auckland and Helrimu, with Future Energy as one of the installation partners. We are honoured to be named among the winners and to have played a part in a project of this scale and ambition, and we congratulate Revolve Energy and the wider team on a well-deserved result.
What these awards mean for our customers
Recognition like this is not about the trophies. For the homeowners and businesses who choose Future Energy, it is reassurance that they are working with a company judged by its own industry to be among the best at what it does. We are Solassure certified and a signatory to the Solassure Code of Conduct, hold SiteWise Gold, and have been a Panasonic Elite Dealer for six years running. We stand behind our work for the long term, with 25-year solar module warranties, 10-year inverter and battery cover, and dedicated aftercare.
More than that, we think of ourselves as a service company rather than a product or trade, guiding customers through understanding their needs, specifying the right system, installing it well and supporting it for years afterwards. This is what we mean by energy without compromise: better comfort, lower running costs and lower carbon, without the trade-offs people once expected.
Thinking about solar, battery storage or a warmer, healthier home? Book a Free Home Energy Consult with our team on 0800 338 363, and let’s talk about what is right for you.
