Commercial Case Studies
For many people the idea of solar electricity in Invercargill is just wrong.
How could it ever work? They don't get enough sunshine. It is not hot enough.
Solar PV is often misunderstood - it is actually not reliant on heat, only sunshine hours. In fact even Invercargill has more sunshine hours than many parts of Germany - one of the leading adopters of solar technology. Southland enjoys even longer days during the summer which contribute further to PV production, and this daytime electricity generation matches very well with the energy demands of the farm.
Woldwide Farms, as a dairy farm, doesn't have energy demands that are constant throughout the year. Their greatest peak energy requirements are during spring, summer and autumn when sunshine hours are also at their peak. Matching energy demands with solar production is part of PowerSmart's Solar Feasibility Study. To maximise investment return, this system has been designed so that 85% of the electricity produced will be used directly on the farm, with minimal amounts being expported back to the grid.
Production is currently on track so that the system, installed in 2013, will have paid for itself by 2020, giving the Woldwide Farm many years of 'free' power.
Woldwide Farm - 33kW
Label Title: Southland Dairy Farm
Type: Grid Tied
Location: Invercargill, South Island
Specs: 32.75kW
Est. Energy Production: 36,500kWh/year
