Four Hawke’s Bay farming operations have been selected to participate in an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) initiative to demonstrate the value of on-farm solar energy systems and batteries. 

The four – Bay Blueberries, Hawke’s Bay Eggs, Ludlow Farms (arable and sheep & beef, Otane) and Newco Farms (sheep & beef, Patoka) – were selected from a pool of over 230 applicants to give a representative spread of farm types and regions. All in, 32 farms are contracted to participate.

They will receive partial funding for their installations, which covers 40% of the cost of an inverter and battery, and 20% for the rest of the solar system. The HB grants range from $28k-$69K for generation capacity ranging from 30kW to 180kW, and battery storage from 48kWh to 72kWh.

At Ludlow Farms, the solar power will be used for stock watering pumps, operating a grain storage facility and seed drying unit, plus an accommodation.

At Bay Blueberries, for packhouse and coolstore/freezer, water pumps.

At HB Eggs, for poultry farm cooling (in summer) and heating (in winter), running chillers, grain silos, conveyors and water pumps.

At Newco Farms, for stock watering pumps, electric fences, yard sheds.

Installations are underway, with all farms scheduled to be on-line by the end of June.

As a condition of participation, the farms will share energy use data, installation and operating insights, case studies, and host on-farm demonstrations.

Early EECA modelling suggests if 30% of Kiwi farms installed larger systems – of the size on some farms already – they could generate as much as 10% of New Zealand’s current electricity demand. An EECA survey of 220 farmers found almost 80% had not yet installed solar but were open to exploring the option.