Several years ago, Kaiwaiwai began investigating ways to reduce operational costs and impact on the land and resources. Energy, a major line item in their budget, quickly emerged as a prime target for innovation. After assessing both wind and solar options, solar clearly outperformed on reliability, economics, and ease of integration.

“Although it’s quite windy here, wind generation didn’t stack up, but solar definitely did,” says Aidan Bichan.

In 2021, the team installed a 54 kW ground-mounted solar PV system near their switch board for optimal access and minimal infrastructure disruption. The system consists of 144 panels feeding two 27 kW inverters. This location and design allow for efficient integration into the existing grid and easy monitoring.

“When we installed the panels, the cost and performance matched the quotes — that doesn’t happen often in farming,” Vern Brasell says.

“The financial benefits have been straightforward: we’re saving money on power, which is only going to get more expensive. Plus, there are now loans available that make the investment easier.”

He sees solar as a no-brainer, especially for dairy farms with large power demands.

“If you’re having a good year, it’s a great time to invest. Not just for cost savings, but to future-proof the farm against rising prices and meet customers’ expectations."

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