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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.
Following the announcement of some major electrification and energy security-themed policies at the Greens’ State of the Planet address over the weekend, Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey is asking all politicians to pause and think about what their own parties have been saying over the last few weeks, because much of what Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick discussed is agreed across parties.
Read moreDownloadMore 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.
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