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There’s plenty of energy emanating from the ground at Te Puia in Rotorua. And there’s plenty of creative energy emanating from those studying at the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. Now there’s also plenty of electric energy, because the business has upgraded its fossil fuel vehicles and added a big solar system so they can run on the sun.
As Nick Dallimore, general manager of operations and site development says, Te Puia now has five fully electric people movers to shuttle guests around to the different geothermal attractions.
It also invested in five electric utility vehicles for its maintenance and food and beverage teams to get around the site. Previously, he says they relied on noisy, smelly petrol versions that interrupted the visitor experience.
The 700kw, $1 million solar system will be paid off in under five years and, as he says, “it looks pretty cool”. Staff are now asked to plug the vehicles back in when they’re not in use, but because the business doesn’t use all the energy it’s generating, it’s always sending excess back to the grid, which helps to pay the investment off.
Te Puia is an inspirational destination, both due to the power of nature and the commitment to preserving Māori skills. Let’s hope it also inspires other businesses to go electric - for the lifetime savings, reduced emissions and increased resilience.
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