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Solar is already cheap and an increasing number of farmers are discovering that, but Mattt Luscombe has found a way to make it even cheaper. The founder of FarmGen says architects like steel, but engineers like efficiency and taking steel out of the build and instead relying on ground anchors means the owners get more generation for less outlay.
His 1.4 megawatt system has 4000 panels set up at lower angles to reduce shade impact. This is about twice the number a typical system in that space would fit.
Because it's modular and has pre-set sizes, his team can install these systems a lot faster than the traditional approach. That saves money as well and it ends up being about half the cost of a domestic rooftop installation.
Farmers often have unused or unproductive chunks of land where these systems can sit. And while Rewiring was pleased to see more support and demonstration grants from EECA for farmers looking to get solar and batteries, plenty of keen farmers missed out. As a way to help them get what they want, Luscombe says he will match those deals.
When farmers go solar, they start to look at other ways of using the cheap, clean energy they're creating. And that's when we'll start to see more electric machines on farm.
New South Wales gets the memo about the importance of finance and announces scheme offering zero interest loans to households to upgrade to electric stuff; plug-in solar gets the tick of approval to go on sale in the UK soon and the New York Times says it could 'change America'; EVolocity takes electrification to the streets to gets the kids inspired (and eventually employed); a tour of the amazing recycling business Redwood Materials; Think Solar and BYD give it away now; and a skit that cuts close to the bone for many solar dads.
Read moreDownloadAdvances in technology and falling costs mean customer-owned solar and batteries can play a critical role in New Zealand’s energy infrastructure - improving affordability, resilience and sustainability. Multiple trading relationships (MTR) and peer-to-peer trading would enable this potential by increasing competition, customer choice, and innovation in the electricity market, unlocking greater consumer benefits from customer solar and batteries.
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