The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
More farmers are getting in behind solar, batteries and electric machines. For Blair and Jodi Drysdale, who run Hopefield Farm in Southland, the decision to invest was mostly about reducing energy costs over the long term, but it's also come with a number of other benefits.
Last year, when massive winds knocked out power in the area for five days, their solar and battery set-up kicked into gear.
"Nothing stopped for us," he says. And they were also able to offer neighbours, family and friends hot showers.
Most days, the 21kW solar array fills up the 52kWh battery system and, to those who question how much sun they get in Southland, he says "it's never let us down yet".
The whole set-up was around $80k - including a line upgrade - and he's hopeful the investment will be paid off in around five years.
When you're generating your own cheap energy, it makes sense to use as much of it as possible. All the siloes have electric fans, they use electric tools and they've even bought an electric ATV. And the beauty of the modular solar system is that more can easily be added if electricity usage increases.
Drysdale says he was initially pretty sceptical of the electric farms pitch but, after being presented with all the facts and figures, he says it was a no brainer. And while the environmental benefits were not the main motivation, reducing emissions is another added bonus.
Farmers tend to listen to farmers and, with plenty of Fonterra dairy farmers set to get a significant payout soon, we hope some of them can see the potential of putting it towards a system like the one of Hopefield farm and a growing number of other farms around the country.
'Twas the night before Chris-mas, and all through the house, all the voters were stirring, the pundits showing their nous … the election will soon be over, but the energy crisis won't, so we'll be there to pester whoever is in power about the need to run more of the economy on New Zealand-made energy; can Ethiopia's aggressive push for EVs work and how does New Zealand compare in terms of adoption rates?; a two-way charging trial from Genesis shows promise in Auckland, but there's still a way to go before it's mainstream; small electric vehicles are often overlooked when it comes to electrifying transport, but it's hard to miss this weird French one; a solar-powered cafe (and some electric coffee); and we endorse the political vandalism of Keith of All Trades.
Read moreDownloadPoliticians are being urged to adopt stronger electric vehicle incentives ahead of the election. Climate and energy advocacy group Rewiring Aotearoa is arguing that EVs are one of the most effective long-term solutions for rising transport and energy costs. They're promoting an EV Salary Boost proposal, which would allow workers to access EVs through pre-tax salary arrangements – similarly to already existing schemes in the UK and Australia. Policy and Government Relations Spokesperson Ngaio Neumegen told Kerre Woodham that even with the rising cost of power, it's still cheaper to run an EV than a car running on imported fuel.
A proposal that would let New Zealanders lease an electric car using their before-tax pay has not won a commitment from either National or Labour, with the 7 November election days away. Under the EV Salary Boost, put forward by Rewiring Aotearoa and Drive Electric, an employee would lease a new or used EV for three to five years. The payments would come out of their pay before tax, lowering the cost of running the car. The idea is based on Australia’s novated leasing system, though the groups say they are not proposing a direct copy.
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