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Source: ONE News -
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One of the country's biggest electricity distributors is looking to the sun to provide a more reliable and economic power supply for properties in remote areas.
The Powerco system means power lines may become a thing of the
past for some users, especially for properties needing electricity
in remote parts of the country.
The secret lies in specialised computer technology housed inside a
yellow box.
It controls power generated from solar panels on the roof and feeds it into a bank of batteries.
The new power supply system has already been set up at one of the North Island's large hill country sheep stations.
Powerco says instead of replacing the three kilometres of power lines which supply power to the woolshed at Otairi Station at a cost of about $200,000, the alternative power supply they have installed has cost about a quarter of that.
Ken Pattie, a Powerco engineer, says it just makes economic sense and provides the shearers in the woolshed with the service they need.
The new technology provides enough power for the woolshed and the shearers' quarters.
Then when the shearing starts and power demand peaks, it switches on a diesel generator.
Alastair Cuming, a shearing contractor, says that in the past, they have had lots of breakdowns but with the new technology, they can do a day's shearing with a full power source.
The only thing the new system requires from the farmer is to fill the diesel tank when an alarm goes off.
Cuming says it is a perfect outcome for a country power out in the backblocks of Huntersville.
Powerco says the same technology can be used in the backblocks of the whole country saving money for both lines companies and consumers.
