Farmlands FLEX to deliver solar microgrids for rural sector
Farmlands FLEX goes beyond solar panel installations by providing intelligent microgrid systems that are custom-built and managed to serve the specific requirements of working farms and orchards.
The initiative seeks to supply farmers with greater energy independence, aiming to reduce power bills, maintain essential operations during outages, and potentially generate an additional income stream.
Farmlands Chief Executive Officer Tanya Houghton said, "Rising energy costs are a huge concern for our customers. Finding solutions for on-farm energy needs have been a part of Farmlands' strategy for a long time."
To support the profitability and productivity of farmers and growers, Farmlands offers five-year electricity pricing certainty through its partnership with electricity provider Meridian. In addition, Farmlands' fuel joint venture, Fern Energy, is now the country's largest rural bulk fuel provider after three years of operation.
With Farmlands FLEX set to become a significant element of its wider service offering, Farmlands is positioning the new system as a response to ongoing industry challenges regarding energy reliability and affordability.
Houghton stated, "The on-farm applications for Farmlands FLEX are wide-reaching - the 5am dairy shed power surge, keeping irrigation running during blackouts and protecting frost fans when electricity isn't available or there's an outage. Farmlands FLEX address real farm challenges."
The new solution will be formally launched at National Fieldays, but Farmlands and Blackcurrent have indicated that information and consultation opportunities are available now for interested farmers and growers.
Among the immediate benefits highlighted for Farmlands FLEX are up to 40 percent reductions in electricity costs, operational continuity during power outages, and the conversion of power expenses into a tangible on-farm asset. There is also scope for customers to generate new income through the sale of surplus energy to the power grid.
The company cited examples where farmers have targeted electricity savings in the thousands of dollars per month, and one recent estimate indicated an annual savings of approximately NZD $55,000 for a single customer.
Houghton encouraged farmers to begin their own assessments. "No need to wait for Fieldays, grab your power bill and call us to start talking about the options for your farm or orchard."
Follow us on:
Share on:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Techday NZ
a day ago
- Techday NZ
Co-operative Bank partners with 10x Banking for digital upgrade
10x Banking's core banking platform is set to be deployed in New Zealand following a partnership agreement with the Co-operative Bank. The partnership will see the Co-operative Bank migrate its core banking infrastructure to 10x Banking's cloud-based platform in a phased, multi-year project. The migration is intended to support future growth, operational efficiency and continued delivery of services to more than 180,000 customers across New Zealand. The Co-operative Bank is the first New Zealand client for 10x Banking, and the move marks an increased focus on the Asia-Pacific region by the technology provider. 10x Banking recently announced its platform is powering the UK's West Brom Building Society, reflecting continued uptake of cloud technology among mutual and co-operative institutions globally. The Co-operative Bank, a customer-owned mutual, is the only New Zealand bank of its kind that shares profits with customers, having distributed more than NZD $24 million since 2013. The bank was also named the Consumer NZ People's Choice Award winner for the fourth year in a row. Its collaboration with 10x Banking aims to build on its existing customer experience by adopting digital solutions that meet contemporary needs. Mark Wilkshire, Chief Executive Officer at the Co-operative Bank, said the selection of 10x Banking was a strategic decision to preserve the bank's ethos while enabling further innovation in customer services. "10x is a great partner for The Co-operative Bank because they fundamentally understand what matters to us as a customer-owned B-Corp – putting customers before profits. This partnership allows us to preserve our unique values while building leading, responsive banking services our customers deserve. For our customers, whether they're saving for a first home or managing everyday finances, this partnership helps ensure we'll be equipped to support their financial lives today and for the future." Anthony Jenkins, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at 10x Banking, stated that the agreement furthered the company's efforts to support mutual and co-operative banking clients worldwide. "This partnership deepens our commitment to the mutual and co-operative sector globally, building on recent successes with member-focused institutions across APAC, Europe and the UK. The Co-operative Bank's customer-first values perfectly align with our mission to make banking ten times better for everyone, and as fellow B-Corps, we share a cultural DNA. We're proud to support their journey as they build the digital foundations for their next century of service." Both the Co-operative Bank and 10x Banking are B Corp certified, each committed to customer-first approaches and ethical business operations. The bank's digital transformation is positioned as a means of sustainable growth while seeking to provide more meaningful relationships with customers and maintain its profit-sharing model. The migration to the 10x Banking platform is expected to deliver benefits in operational continuity, development of real-time product innovation and improved experiences across channels. According to the companies, such a transition is essential for sustaining the Co-operative Bank's long-term ability to share profits and maintain competitive, community-focused financial services in New Zealand. Lewis Ide, Senior Vice President, APAC at 10x Banking, highlighted the significance of the move for local banking technology development. "New Zealand is a dynamic market undergoing rapid transformation. By partnering with The Co-operative Bank, we're bringing our cloud-native platform to a uniquely customer-focused, community-owned institution. We see this as a pivotal moment in APAC's banking evolution - one where technology empowers banks of all sizes to scale new heights and deliver the secure, and personalised experiences customers expect. We're excited to work together to build better banking experiences for New Zealand's customers over the next century." The phased approach to the core banking migration is designed to ensure minimal disruption for customers while granting the Co-operative Bank greater agility in launching new services and responding to evolving customer needs. Since 2013, the Co-operative Bank has returned more than NZD $24 million to its customer-owners through its profit-sharing scheme. The bank reports it currently employs a team of 400, serving customers nationwide through its physical and digital channels. The partnership's focus on shared values and sustainable banking practices comes at a time of increasing digital transformation initiatives across the New Zealand banking sector.
Techday NZ
a day ago
- Techday NZ
Calls grow for KiwiSaver diversification as Bitcoin yields soar
New research indicates that a lack of diversification in KiwiSaver portfolios may be limiting retirement prospects for thousands of New Zealanders, prompting renewed calls for advisers to expand their knowledge of emerging asset classes. Analysis conducted by digital investment platform Swyftx shows that investing NZD $36,500 - equivalent to NZD $10 per day - in Bitcoin over the past ten years would today have grown to approximately NZD $2.8 million, representing a 76-fold return. In comparison, the same sum invested in an average balanced KiwiSaver fund would likely now be valued at NZD $65,000 to NZD $70,000. Jason Titman, Chartered Accountant and Chief Executive Officer of Swyftx, stated that the new data highlights the need for contemporary retirement planning strategies and enhanced adviser education, especially as pension funds worldwide begin to integrate digital assets into their long-term models. "Digital assets are now a mainstream component of diversified investment portfolios internationally, yet New Zealand advisers are lagging in both adoption and education. "If you'd invested just $10 per day in Bitcoin over the past 10 years, you'd have spent $36,500 and accumulated roughly 14.5 BTC. Today, that would be worth around $2.8 million, a 76x return. That kind of performance deserves consideration, even as a small part of a retirement portfolio." Titman contrasted the Bitcoin returns to the typical balanced KiwiSaver fund, which he said had returned around 6% to 7% per annum over the past decade. This would have turned a NZD $36,500 investment into approximately NZD $65,000 to NZD $70,000 today. Titman noted that digital asset adoption among high-net-worth families has been more rapid, suggesting this group recognises the potential benefits of digital assets as part of long-term investment strategies. "It's a clear example of the opportunity cost facing retirement savers when portfolios remain too narrow. "Diversification into digital assets, even at a small allocation, could dramatically shift long-term outcomes for many Kiwis," he says. Official figures from the Financial Markets Authority show that KiwiSaver balances rose by 19.3% in the last year, taking the average member balance to NZD $33,514. Despite this, only two of the existing KiwiSaver schemes currently offer any exposure to digital assets. Titman pointed to international trends, such as reported moves in the United States to broaden permitted 401(k) retirement plan investments to include digital assets, as evidence that the retirement market is evolving. While these changes have provoked mixed reactions within traditional finance circles, Titman feels they indicate a global reassessment of retirement fund structures and the returns expected by investors. "Regardless of political stance, what we're seeing globally is recognition that younger generations want more control, choice and exposure to higher-performing asset classes. The question is whether New Zealand's system will evolve fast enough to meet that demand," he says. He emphasised that the aim is not to take excessive risks with retirement savings, but to modernise portfolio construction. "We're not talking about putting someone's retirement on the line. We're talking about disciplined allocation, say 3% to 5%, to a high-growth, emerging asset class that has already demonstrated long-term return potential. It's about optimising performance, not taking unnecessary risk," he says. According to Titman, increased investment in digital assets could also have wider economic benefits, potentially supporting local market development, job creation, and expanding the tax base. "It's a sector that is expanding, and investor engagement with it is already occurring outside of traditional channels," says Titman. Swyftx's research also examined the effect of early and consistent exposure to digital assets for long-term savers. Titman believed that such allocations can have significant cumulative effects over decades. "If a young investor allocated just 5% of their KiwiSaver contributions into Bitcoin when they enter the workforce, the compounding impact over decades, particularly with historically high long-term returns, could significantly accelerate the path to retirement for some individuals. "While not all investors would become millionaires, the data suggests that financial outcomes could improve substantially when higher-growth assets are appropriately integrated," he says. Titman identified a significant need to upskill the adviser community on emerging assets and said Swyftx has developed a digital asset education platform for financial advisers, including portfolio construction guidance and international case studies. Swyftx's user data indicates that 72% of its more than 300,000 New Zealand clients on its Easy Crypto platform are aged between 25 and 45. This demographic is consistent with the core KiwiSaver participant group, and many are already investing in digital assets outside of KiwiSaver. With KiwiSaver entering its 17th year, Titman argued that a broader discussion is needed around modernising the system for future generations. "We know that the current financial education gap in New Zealand is significant, however, when advisers are equipped with evidence-based tools and global context, they're far more confident having conversations about diversification that includes digital assets. "Adoption from retail investors is already moving rapidly. Our research shows over 700,000 Kiwis or 14% are engaging with digital assets independently, which points to a need for the sector to catch up, particularly as more of these investors expect personalised, forward-thinking retirement advice. "Better-informed advisers are better placed to help their clients navigate emerging options. The role of the adviser is not to speculate, but to build robust, evidence-based portfolios that reflect clients' long-term goals," he says.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Fat-clogged pipes costing ratepayers
A new trade wastewater bylaw could help address emerging issues in Waimakariri's wastewater system. Photo: North Canterbury News "Fat clogging" is costing ratepayers as a Canterbury council works to keep the wastewater system flowing in its district. The Waimakariri District Council will consider creating two bylaws to manage wastewater in the district. Council senior policy analyst Dianna Caird said the growing number of hospitality businesses was creating new issues with ''fat clogging'', with cooking fats in the wastewater increasing the cost to maintain the system. ''A trade waste bylaw will look to improve the clarity around these concerns.'' Council staff have completed a review of the council's wastewater bylaw, which was written in 2015, and found the scope of the existing bylaw is too large. Ms Caird said wastewater would be better managed with separate bylaws for trade waste and domestic wastewater. ''People discharging are generally doing the right thing, we just need to teak it to make it easier for people to comply,'' she said. She said a new trade wastewater bylaw would need to reflect changes in the new wastewater legislation which is due out later this year. Water regulator Taumata Arowai is also planning new wastewater standards, which will need to be complied with. The council plans to consult on a new wastewater bylaw(s) early next year. The Waimakariri District Council is beefing up its in-house water services business unit in line with the Government's Local Water Done Well legislation, with its water service delivery plan approved by the Department of Internal Affairs last month. By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter ■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
