Whanau

Electricity bill savings of up to 30% are forecast for nine Tūrangi whānau participating in a new solar energy project.

Three homes generating solar energy will be paired with three recipient homes to distribute the surplus power to the recipients hot water cylinders. A fourth home generating solar energy will be paired with two recipient homes who will have new energy efficient heat pump hot water cylinders installed as part of the project. “The solution is designed to share energy when solar gains are at their highest, with energy from the solar panels exported to recipient households to heat hot water cylinders. With as many as 16 solar panels on each home, up to 5920W of energy will be produced by each solar installation – generating more than the typical 3000W needed to heat a hot water cylinder. The project will see solar panels and new hot water cylinders, including two with hot water heat pump technology, installed at nine households in the Tūrangi rohe. The pioneering project, run by the Tūwharetoa Health Charitable Trust (THCT), Maru Energy Trust (Maru), and The Lines Company (TLC), will see excess solar energy heat hot water cylinders in participating households.