The 'Electric Election': energy policies, side by side
The Crutchley family has been turning sunlight into food and fibre on their Maniototo farm since 1939. Now, Emma Crutchley and Kyle Hagen are turning sunlight into energy.
Their solar setup helps to irrigate over 200 hectares on their sheep and beef farm and also runs the farm sheds, workshop and farmhouse. Any excess is stored in batteries or sent back out to the grid.
While there are significant upfront costs attached, Becks Smith, co-founder of Solayer, which installed the system, says farmers can expect to pay it back in around five years primarily through the savings on electricity bills.
Smith says farmers often have to compromise to reduce their costs (for example, a reduction in fertiliser use may affect production), but solar is a way for farmers to reduce costs without having to compromise on anything and, as Rewiring Aotearoa’s research showed, it is popular across all farm types and age groups, with 70% of respondents to a survey last year saying they were interested.
Solar can also be a gateway drug to electrification. Anecdotally, homeowners with solar tend to be more interested in electric vehicles when they realise they have an energy source on their roof that they should be making the most of, and farmers with solar are more likely to look at the machines they’re using - from tractors to mowers to frost fighting fans - and try to figure out how to electrify them because it makes economic sense over the long-run.
Batteries on farms (and in homes) are less of an economic slam dunk than solar at the moment, but Smith says they are still seeing impressive payback periods and those are likely to improve as prices continue to drop and higher rates for peak exports become more common.
As New Zealand’s economy electrifies, we will need more renewable generation and farms could play a much bigger role in the energy system. If 50,000 farms installed a mid-sized solar system, that could generate 60% more electricity - and more big battery set ups can help power other homes in the area without the need for expensive infrastructure upgrades.
Just as Forest Lodge Orchard has provided a powerful demonstration project, Crutchley and Smith are showing how well it stacks up for other types of farms and inspiring others to follow suit.
'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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