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There are plenty of clever cookies working on electric innovations across the motu and there aren't many cleverer than Garry Peek, the main brains behind Peek Robotics.
There are plenty of clever cookies working on electric innovations across the motu and there aren't many cleverer than Garry Peek, the main brains behind Peek Robotics.
Whether you're looking to mow the grass, spray the weeds or haul the fruit, Grover doesn't need diesel or a driver.
With a huge number of cameras and sensors, it can keep on trucking when you're not looking (and avoid anything that gets in its way) and the ability to swap out batteries quickly means there's no waiting to charge up.
Aside from the obvious productivity gains, its electric platform reduces CO₂ emissions by more than 95% compared to a diesel tractor performing the same task.
As he says: "This is the obvious future."
When Mike Casey bought his house near Cromwell, it came with gas bottles on the side of the home for water and an expensive diesel system for the underfloor heating. He replaced both of them with a Steibel Eltron system and it's been saving him money ever since. As technical manager Bhawesh Singh told him at the Electrify Queenstown conference, there has been a big influx in enquiries from homes looking to get off the molecules and onto electrons.
Read moreDownloadConfidence that cutting regulations to make solar power more accessible - won't jeopardise people's safety. A new Regulation Ministry reports laid out a potential blueprint to legalise plug-in solar and reduce the time and cost of panel installation. Rewiring Aotearoa CEO Mike Casey shares his thoughts with Andrew Dickens.
The burgeoning demand for solar was also a chance to address a mismatch between the numbers of training opportunities available and young people searching for work, Casey said. "The mums of New Zealand are telling me that there's not enough apprenticeships for their kids and the solar installers of New Zealand are telling me there's not enough trained people."
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