Featured by EECA: Farming with Sunshine

We were very excited to be featured in a new video by EECA, all about how farms across New Zealand are switching on to solar power and seeing real benefits. The video highlights both Kawaiwai Dairies and us here at Forest Lodge, showing how solar and battery systems are helping us cut costs, boost energy independence, and move toward a lower-carbon future. On our orchard, solar is at the heart of everything we do. And with 160kW of solar and 300kWh of battery storage, we generate way more power than we use so we often send this extra power back to the grid.

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In the video, Mike shares a bit about how we started with a blank canvas and turned it into a fully electric cherry orchard. No diesel, no petrol, it was all made possible with smart tech, some big ideas, and a whole lot of Central Otago sunshine. The video is part of EECA’s Solar on Farms initiative, which is helping other farmers figure out whether solar and battery setups could work for them. They’re pulling together tools, advice, and support to make it easier to get started—whether you’re running a dairy farm, an orchard, or anything in between.

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Check out the full video here: Solar-powered farming in Aotearoa – EECA

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And if you’re curious about solar on your own farm, head over to www.eeca.govt.nz/solaronfarms to learn more.

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Big thanks to the team at EECA for shining a light on what’s possible, and the media team at Special Group NZ.

Read the full article at YouTube →