Big Savings with a Self-Powered Shed

Solar panels are popping up on dairy sheds and farm buildings across the country, as farmers and growers wake up to the power of the sun.

Solar is a no-brainer for Farmlands shareholders and Synlait suppliers Gavin and Kylie Bay, who have a dairy farm in Glentui, north-west of Christchurch. They own 106ha and lease a further 280ha off their neighbour. “We have the ability to milk 450 cows, but we generally peak milk 400 to 420, because it gets quite dry in summer making it challenging,” Gavin says. The couple have been thinking about how they can combine sound commercial decisions with good environmental impacts.

Installing solar generation on their farm was a way of doing that, and they are making the leap with Blackcurrent, a nationwide provider of microgrids. Their 30-bay herringbone milking shed is the biggest power user on their farm, and with its exposure to the sun, it made the most logical site for solar panel installation. The project will cost them just over $50,000, but based on current power prices will save the business an estimated $6,000 to $7,000 each year – a potential seven-year return.

“The cow shed's the big one, so that's obviously all the refrigeration and effluent stock water, so we've got the waterline hooked up to it,” says Gavin. “We've got a generator, but that's just for an emergency when the power goes out.” Gavin says reducing their electricity costs is a big driver of their move, but they also have the environment in mind. “We're focused on the whole sustainability side of things and trying to reduce our carbon footprint.” Blackcurrent co-founder Andrew ‘Pegs’ Pegler says they are thrilled to be partnering with farmers like Gavin and Kylie to strengthen their business continuity through energy resilience and self-sufficiency. 

“The solar solution we provided for them not only shrinks their carbon footprint, it also makes their farm way more resilient. Solar energy is a reliable and clean addition to any farming operation. It gives them the ability to keep things running smoothly, and worry less about losing a batch of milk. “uninterrupted supply during sun hours, even during power outages or natural disasters, ensuring consistent milk production and safeguarding their income stream.” Blackcurrent goes beyond simply providing solar solutions, working closely with farmers to understand their energy consumption and identify areas for optimisation. “This knowledge empowers them to make informed decisions that boost their farm's efficiency and profitability,” Pegs says. 

“Furthermore, the ability to share excess solar energy with neighbours and the grid adds another layer of resilience to the community, creating a potential new revenue source for farmers. This doesn't require any additional equipment, only additional fees for the service.” He says the approach taken by the Bays is not uncommon across many if not all sectors of the farming community. “We have a mix of roof-mounted and ground-mounted options which we are using across many projects in different farming sectors. If you are serious about saving money, reducing C02 and making your business more resilient, then a solar microgrid could be an option for you.”