Renewable Energy

Available renewable energy options

Solar PV (photovoltaic) systems convert solar energy to electricity. Arrays of solar PV panels can be sized and arranged to fit the space available. Domestic PV systems tend to be from 5 to 10 kW, with each kW covering an area of roughly eight square metres.

Micro-hydro systems are best suited to rural areas on waterways that flow all year round. They key considerations when assessing a water resources is the water flow and vertical distance you have between the point where you take the water and where the turbine is locate. Generally, micro-hydro systems are less than 5kW, and in many cases less than 1kW. With the right water resource, hydro compliments solar nicely, particularly when used for off grid sites. We have the experience to design a system that is ecologically sound, performs reliably and is easy to maintain.

Small wind turbines are a possibility if you are in a location with consistent wind. New Zealand has one of the best wind resources in the world giving us the opportunity to generate renewable electricity with no ongoing greenhouse gas emissions. However, there are maintenance requirements to factor in when opting for wind turbines, lots of moving parts need more attention than static systems. The installation costs can also be high with some sites requiring resource consent, and extensive groundworks for foundations.

Grid connected system
You have the option of choosing a grid connected system. This allows you to generate your own electricity without needing a battery bank. When your system is generating power, it will supply any loads in your home, with excess power being exported back to the grid, for a credit on your power bill. At times when your system doesn’t generate the amount of electricity you need, the national grid provides power.

When you do use power from the grid, you’ll still pay for it at retail prices, and if you sell excess back into the grid you’ll get less than retail. That amount, the “buy back” price, is set by your electricity retailer. In the event of a grid outage, your system will shut down as a safety precaution. There is an option to add batteries so your system acts as a back up power system for grid outages.

Energy storage system
With the addition of a battery to an energy resource, the functionality of your system changes. You can now store excess production in a battery to be used at times when you are using power. This increases your self consumption of energy you produce. A battery also gives the option of back up power in the event of a power outage from the national grid. There is a myriad of options around types of back up power available, how long the battery will last, how larger load it can power. We will design a system to suit your need and take the time to explain the functionality.

Stand-alone power systems
In some situations connecting to the grid can be very expensive, it can cost as much $25,000 per kilometre. A stand-alone power system can be an attractive economic alternative. Stand-alone power systems generally use a combination of renewable generation sources, a battery bank, smart controller/inverter and often some kind of back-up like a diesel generator.