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Following on from the Government's announcement at Fieldays, farmers now have a helpline to call and co-funding available for solar and battery systems.
Going electric is smart, but all that chat about kilowatts, connection sizes and export limits can be a bit confusing. That's why good, independent advice is so important and it's great to see EECA's new solar on farms phoneline is open for business.
Everyone loves a discount, so it's also great to see there's an opportunity for farms to get some demonstration funding for solar and battery systems, as long as you meet the criteria and are willing to share your experience. Co-funding applications open 18 September and offer up to $200k per farm for systems from 30-500Kw.
Solar and batteries can lower costs, lower emissions and improve resilience. And it's one area where farmers don't have to compromise on anything. The sector is going well at the moment, and there are big payouts on the horizon for many after the sale of Fonterra's consumer brands, so it could be a good time to invest.
More solar and batteries doesn't just help the farmers, however. It will also be an important part of our future energy system and help bring the price of electricity down for everyone else, too.
As EECA says:
On-farm solar, battery storage, and flexible energy systems are becoming practical, viable options for powering farms and growing operations. Solar generation can also offer farmers greater control over their energy use, supporting efficiency and productivity.
The solar on farms initiative provides trusted information and support options to help farmers and growers unlock the potential of solar and battery energy systems to reduce on-farm costs, improve energy resilience, and drive long-term energy security.
Special report: EV batteries could store all the power we need in a day. How can NZ unlock that energy to slash bills and keep the lights on? As QEA and Rewiring Aotearoa's Josh Ellison says about the potential: “You’re getting a battery for less than $1000/kWh and it comes with a free car. Or really, what is more realistic is that people are buying a car for car reasons. They need a car. And it’s coming with a battery that can then give them all these other financial benefits, like lowering their bills.”
Read moreDownloadEvery time the price of petrol shoots up, we see the same kind of advice: ‘Fill up now before it gets even higher’; ‘Shop around for cheaper fuel’; ‘Use your 6c off a litre coupons; ‘Change the way you drive and stretch your tank’. We’re mostly short-term creatures so these are all pretty normal responses to a price shock, but if you're looking to save money on fuel the best advice is to think longer term and remove yourself from the volatility of imported energy entirely.
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