New Zealand selects 32 farms for solar and battery trial

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">New Zealand’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has selected 32 agricultural businesses for its Solar on Farms program to test solar and battery systems across key sectors.</span></p><p><strong>From <a href="https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2026/02/20/clean-energy-harvest-in-store-for-new-zealand-solar-on-farms-trial/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">pv magazine Australia</a></strong></p>
<p>The New Zealand EECA has officially announced the first 32 demonstration farms participating in its <a href="https://www.eeca.govt.nz/co-funding-and-support/products/solar-on-farms/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Solar on Farms</a> program; to test how solar and batteries perform across key sectors.</p>
<p>In partnership with the farms, the EECA works to install solar arrays, smart inverters and batteries to demonstrate the viability of technology and share insights with other New Zealand farmers to encourage further uptake.</p>
<p><img alt="" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-118134" height="549" src="https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2026/02/Screenshot-2026-02-20-143349-600x549.png" width="600" /></p>
<p>The total solar capacity from the 32 farms is 3,616 kW, where seven have installed 30 kW to 50 kW <a href="https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2025/03/20/aotearoa-new-zealands-solar-generation-reaches-all-time-high/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">solar systems</a>, eight have installed 50 kW to 100 kW systems, five (100 kW to 150 kW) and eight (150 kW-plus), while four of the farms are utilising batteries only.</p>
<p>One of the larger systems in the program is a 216 kW system installed on a packhouse roof owned by large-scale integrated agricultural enterprise Balle Bros Group, with a 116 kWh battery energy storage system (BESS).</p>
<p>“With high daytime energy demand from chillers and rising electricity costs, it’s a strong example of solar aligned with operational load,” the EECA said.</p>
<p>A range of <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/01/26/energy-hungry-south-australian-pig-farm-goes-off-grid-with-100-kw-solar-array/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">farm types</a> such as dairy, sheep, beef, horticulture, poultry, nurseries and wine were selected for the program, and the farms have received partial funding toward installation of their systems, plus share performance data, lessons learned, and host on-farm demonstration events to support wider sector uptake.</p>