Operation Laser Kiwi: help us take New Zealand-made energy on the road
We're all for getting schools off the diesel and onto electrons - and we're also big fans of solar on schools. In Christchurch, Hornby High School has done just that and its system currently ranks as the biggest of any school in New Zealand.
While some schools fundraise to buy their own solar, Hornby High worked with Cog, which offered a 25 year behind the meter power purchase agreement for the 200kW-ish system. This meant it cost the school nothing upfront and provides discounted power from day one (but it also means that it won't get the full benefit of the solar savings).
As Penny Devine, deputy chair of the Board of Trustees says, "we couldn't see any downsides to be honest."
COG's Chris Conner says using schools are a pretty good fit for solar given they're in use all day when the generation is happening, as are factories or commercial buildings.
There are no batteries at the school yet, but Conner says there's a big opportunity for them to play a role in the energy system by feeding power back during evening peaks. They could also play an important resilience role in the event of a disaster by keeping the power on and acting as a community hub.
Deputy principal Ruth Robertson says the students love the solar and one student she talked to recently had included panels on a design for a home. She wonders if he would have included them if the system wasn't up on the roof and thinks it's great that it's being normalised.
It's not just about putting solar on schools, it's about getting solar into schools, as well.
Te Pāti Māori has announced its energy policy, which it hopes will lower power costs for whānau and reduce New Zealand’s dependency on fossil fuels. The policy's centrepiece is an energy sovereignty fund, which will see Te Pāti Māori establish a $1 billion fund to “build Māori and community ownership of the energy system”.
People installing solar power systems with batteries on their homes, hoping to avoid the disruption of a power cut, are being told to check with the installer that the battery can provide that protection.
Read moreDownloadKiwis are catching on to the benefits of solar panels - and demand's spiking ... But the industry warns we need about six thousand more trained electricians - across the country - to do the work. Rewiring Aotearoa Chief Executive, Mike Casey told Heather du Plessis-Allan he hopes interest will continue over time. He says oil shortages because of the Iran war is keeping demand high - with energy prices climbing. He says solar is the one reprieve Kiwis get.
