The case for energy loans: read our latest explainer
FarmGen and AgFirst are collaborating on rural solar and Graeme Davison's 75kW, $85,000 solar system is a good example of the savings on offer. He installed the system in August "after his electricity costs jumped 23%, from $34,000 three years ago to $46,000" and uses it to power his milking shed. "Most farms of this size save between $17,000 and $25,000 a year for an $85,000 investment," he says, so the payback is pretty quick.
There's plenty of demand for solar on farms already and that has likely increased after those with solar and batteries were able to keep running even though the grid went down after the recent storms. And with Fonterra farmers eyeing a big payout after the sale of the consumer brands, investing in some resilience that can pay itself off every day is looking like a pretty good bet.
Rewiring Aotearoa is in favour of universal Road User Charges as we believe it will address an artificial market distortion for vehicles that is not in New Zealand’s economic, fuel security, or resilience interests. Here's what we told the Select Committee.
Read moreDownloadThe story of Uruguay's renewable push and why it's relevant here; EVs reach a tipping point in the EU, but they're growing in developing nations, too; Tauranga Crossing and Endless Energy go vertical with a new solar install; new research shows panels keep on trucking far past their warranty periods; and if you need a hand getting out on the waves, how about getting your own electric towing machine.
Read moreDownloadOur Political Power series aims to show that going electric is good for everyone, no matter where you sit on the political sprectrum. Whether you're looking to lower costs, reduce emissions or increase resilience, it increasingly makes sense at an individual, community and country level and ACT's Todd Stephenson, who bought an electric Jeep around one year ago and built his new home in Queenstown to run on electrons, is a good example of that.
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