Alternative power catches on 

A small community of farmers in Manawatu is trialling what's believed to be a world first energy project that could change the way power is supplied to rural homes, and soon to those in the city.

Industrial Research Limited (IRL) and Massey University have set up a combination of wind, solar and hydrogen energy projects to produce power for the Totara Valley community.

It's cheaper, eco-friendly and getting world-wide attention.

Power from the project is being switched on first on a farm at Totara Valley.

Alister Gardiner of IRL says the aim is to provide an alternative energy choice for people.

"The aim of the project is to look at various new small scale technologies and see how they can be integrated into the energy system," he says.

Andy Duncan of Massey University says the project has a part to play in the "energy scape" of New Zealand.

Not all the power is up and running yet. Only about one third of that used by each household is generated through the systems, though in a year it should do it all.

Gardiner says the alternative power should soon become competitive with the main network.

The project has been flowing along slowly, taking almost a decade to get to this stage, but the locals are driving force behind promoting its success.

Totara Valley farmer Geoff Marion thinks it's a great idea.

"As most things, costs are escalating and power is one. And if we can make savings in that area it all helps in the bottom line," he says.

Marion has a wind turbine on his property, solar panels generating electricity and solar panels for heating water. He reckons once the system is fully functional, his electricity bill will be cut in half.

"It will save us a significant amount of money, if nothing else consistency of supply because we would be producing our own power," he says.

"Some of its cheaper already, some of it will become cheaper as alternatives become more expensive," says Duncan.

Although it started on the farm, scientists say the alternative power project has already proved itself to be a viable option and they predict that it will country-wide within the next five years.

"We'd like to move forward now into the mainstream and introduce this sort of technology," says Gardiner.

Energy supply and security is a topic of concern for remote farmers, and with a cheaper, greener option proving the right flick, they're getting stuck in.