Solar energy co-operative seeking members

Phil Malpas says solar energy is a "no-brainer"

A series of public meetings to let households know how to become shareholders in a co-operative behind a community solar electricity venture.

Phil Malpas from coastalenergy.nz wants to show power users how they benefit by working together as a co-operative.

There were public meetings planned at Foxton and Levin in the next few weeks, and Raumati, Paekakariki, Paraparaumu and Waikanae in the coming months, to explain the benefits of solar power and the co-operative model.

“Everybody uses kilowatts and is committed to using kilowatts, so why not make our own. It’s easy. You do nothing...put them on the roof and that’s it,” he said.

The purpose of the meetings is to show how people can have control and can directly benefit from their everyday power use. The co-operative model had “Joe Public” as members.

“As a co-operative company our number one priority is to provide benefits to our members, not company profits,” he said.

“It gives people a chance to own their own power company. It can reduce their power costs and make a positive contribution to reducing carbon emissions.”

“It just works.”

Solar panels on the roof of a house significantly reduce the cost of power to that household, equivalent to between an 8 and 10 per cent return on investment.

Malpas said aside from the financial benefits of having access to cheaper power, solar energy was a no-brainer if New Zealand was to become free of fossil fuel by 2050.

Every kilowatt produced from solar was one less coming from fossil fuels. Currently, more than a quarter of New Zealand’s power was coming from fossil fuels, which he said equated to 2000 million kilograms of carbon emissions.

“There is no reason why New Zealand can’t have one hundred per cent renewable power generation,” he said. There were already schools in the area that had invested in solar technology.

The Foxton meeting was scheduled for October 17 at the Foxton Memorial Hall at 7pm, while the Levin meeting was October 18 at 7pm at the Levin War Memorial.

- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.