New Zealand Riverland Foods Limited

14 Establishment Drive, Hornby, Christchurch 8042

50kW (Provisioned for 300kW)

125 x 400W Solar panels

100 kw solar inverter

2.7 Year Real Payback time

131% Return on investment

Site carbon emissions reduced by 54%

Completion Date: January 2023

Executive Summary:

To cut ongoing operational costs at their food processing and manufacturing plant, New Zealand Riverland Foods Limited partnered with Sunshine Solar and Calder Stewart Energy for a cutting-edge solar installation. This initiative significantly contributes to making pet food production more cost-effective, directly benefiting their end consumers with more affordable pet food.

Key Features:

System Size: Initial installation of a 50 kW solar array, with provision for expansion up to 300 kW.
Technology: Utilizes a 100 kW Huawei solar inverter and 400W ethically sourced Risen panels, setting a benchmark in sustainability and efficiency within the industry.

Goals & Objectives:

The project aimed primarily to slash electricity bills, directly impacting the cost of pet food production and making it more affordable for consumers.

Solution & Implementation:

Approach: Custom-designed to match the energy usage at the site, ensuring optimal energy production and investment returns.
Stakeholders: This project brought together expertise from Calder Stewart Energy, Sunshine Solar, and New Zealand Riverland Foods Limited.
Process: From system design, through meticulous preparation and installation, to the final commissioning, every step was executed with precision, highlighting our commitment to excellence and sustainability.

Commissioning Results and Energy Performance:

In 2023, the site generated 65 MWh of energy, exporting 64% of this production. This led to a significant 39% reduction in self-consumption and a 54% decrease in electricity bills, marking a substantial step forward in operational efficiency and environmental responsibility.

Why Choose Sunshine Solar:

With over 21 years of experience and completion of 160 commercial solar projects and more than 6000 residential installations, Sunshine Solar stands as a leader in the solar industry, offering unmatched expertise and commitment to sustainability.

Call to Action:

Businesses looking to reduce operational costs and embrace sustainable practices are encouraged to contact Sunshine Solar to learn more about how solar solutions can benefit their operations.

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Sharmayne Zilinskas

Had my 14 solar panels installed last August and have not had a power bill since. The battery has high capacity without taking up too much space. Love my solar power and can't recommend Sunshine solar enough, the guys installing it were so helpful and made sure I understood how to use the ap before they left.

Natasha Tait

Absolutely best decision we have made. Shrunk the power bill amazingly. Any questions is not a problem. Great follow up service too

Levi Ferguson

These guys were awsome to work with great communication. the installers didn’t mess around got the job done quick. And it’s awsome when the power goes out we still have power!

Freeman Vos

Great people

Jacqui Bee

We chose Sunshine Solar as they are a locally own specialist with many years experience. We could get both a hot water and solar battery array from them and they gave us advice on the sizes of system we would need. They managed the installation and have provided oversite of the system since helping to tweak the set up to to make the most of having a battery. They have been very responsive to any issues so when an upgrade to the manufactures system confused the inverter, the issue was fixed in hours. It is reassuring that they are there with their expertise on the other end of the phone. And we have have massively reduced power costs especially in summer but even in winter too we have savings.

Michael Hermens

Had a few quotes from other places in Whanganui and Sunshine Solar had the best advice and wasn't pushy with their sales. Our power bill went from $300 in summer to $0.

Reef Cain

Had a family friend recommend Sunshine Solar after they had it installed and were absolutely thrilled with the results. I decided to follow through, and all my interactions with the staff members were absolutely great! Extremely professional and informative, and clearly have a deep understanding of what they're doing. I am so glad I made the choice, I am consistently saving money each month of my power bill now. Great service, quick and time efficient, 5/5 will be recommending to family and friends in the future!

Peter Kaa

Great service fast and efficient. Very friendly team that make sure customers is happy. Can contact them with any questions. Purchase a AlphaESS battery and very happy reduced power bills made it all worth it.

Aaron Boys

Everything is preforming well and providing exceptional savings..in 1 month total bill was $46.. $30 of which was the daily charge, $10 gst, only $6 of power used AND sold $3 of that back to the grid. The people at sunshine solar are awesome, super friendly and helpful, installation was a breeze and they check up on a regular basis to check we are getting the most out of our system.. highly recommend!!!

ANOOP BEDI

Good Company to deal with. I had ten panels put up and decided to get an extra six panels. Prompt service.

stewart reid

Sunshine Solar and the firm who installed our solar panels Greenco could not have performed any better. From the negotiations with Willem to the fitting with Luke and Sam it was all dealt with efficiency courtesy and friendliness. The after care was also superb. We have no criticisms.

Bill McElhinney

For friendly, professional service, Sunshine Solar are top notch. We have had solar for sometime now and the effect on our power bill has been nothing short of amazing. Great follow up service from a great team. Thanks James and Hamish. We would highly recommend Sunshine solar.

Rob Finch

Could not fault the company, from the start, advice was great. Even the after sales been good. The team throughout the company who we dealt with have been great. We are already noticing the difference with the savings using the system. Would highly recommend this company to anyone.

Claire McLean

Best decision ever to have Solar Panels installed. Even happier that we went with Sunshine Solar, love that i could support a local supplier too. Amazing customer service and follow up service a year later. Panels are still looking and working fab ! Most importantly the cost savings have really impressed us, having months of not having to pay anything and being in credit over warmer months and significantly lower over colder months. Definitely worth the investment, loving the immediate returns.

Suzanne Summerfield

You can trust the team at Sunshine Solar from planning to installation and followup. Very happy with my setup after over a year of use. Power bill much more acceptable 🙂

Ray Gardner

Awesome Company, Excellent products and very competitive on price , but customer service is next level. Thanks John and Team . Will definitely be back for the next build

Emma Crowe

Lovely customer service from Ruby and Harper. Exceptional savings!

Denis Pierce

We had Sunshine Solar install a solar hot water system for us over ten years ago. This system has worked beyond all expectations. We had a minor problem with an icon coming up on the control panel due to a power surge. We rang Sunshine Solar and spoke to James first who was very helpful and he referred me to John who talked me through how to reset the control panel to clear this minor problem. The service given was outstanding and we have no hesitation in recommending this company.

Scott Lamont

We have had our Solar System in place for around 8 months now, and it has been a noticeable change in our month to month power. The install process was very easy, and the team onsite were also very professional and everything was left looking nice and tidy.

John Smith

We had solar hot water panel and solar panels installed 2 years ago. They have reduced our power bill dramatically. We would like to thank sunshine solar for the service they provided when they were installed and the follow up we have just had. Fantastic service from a great company. Can highly recommend them to anyone thinking of solar. Cheers John

Vilgelm Grenz

Very friendly people to deal with. Make it easy to install solar PV and solar hot water. Have great variety of options and can make it suit your needs.

Nick Thow

Very helpful friendly advice over the phone from John highly recommended :-) We have since had a system installed great service from Harry and the boys. Extra panels installed again great service and workmanship 👍

Ian Turner

Recommend Sunshine Solar For panels and for hot water. Their after sale service is great as well. We had solar hot water installed at our last build and proved to be a great investment. Our house now, we have 12 panels installed and also a great investment. So for anything solar, I would recommend Sunshine Solar.

Caz Register

Awesome service right from the get go. Then the follow up check in to ensure all is running well (which it is of course). The panels themselves are also great looking compared to most others, full black and sleek with extra warranty over comparables. Super impressed on all fronts and a great investment, thanks heaps Sunshine Solar!

Matt Dumont

They installed our system. Generally excellent service and the cost was competitive. We had an issue with our design… the planned inverter was a bit too small (we were right on the edge). When we raised the issue they sorted it out asap! The only cost was the difference between the inverter we had and the new one. I’d use them again.

Shirley Mclaughlin

I am very happy with the work done thanksand service they give

johno mortimer

We had our 22 panel 3 phase solar panel system installed by sunshine sola a year ago, the pre installation benefits of solar were explained in detail.the installation was very professional by a knowledgeable team. Any post installation questions were answered promptly. A nice touch was sunshine solar calling this week to have a catch up to check everything is tracking as expected Would highly recommend Sunshine solar.

S MacManus

Sunshine solar installed our panels almost a year ago. Fantastic service and product. Love the savings on our power bills

Garth Jamieson

When I decided to have solar panels installed and for Sunshine Solar to do it, I was very impressed that Chris who was doing the assessment endorsed my decision not to have a battery installed. As I wanted to go for a year without one just to see how the costs would go. There was no high pressure sales tactics applied. Even without the battery there is flexibility in using high use appliances through out the day. Previously I used the high use appliances on night rate. If you are prepared to pay major costs up front in the long term costs are cheaper with solar panels. I would recommend having solar panels installed by Sunshine Solar.

PC ofbjd

Great service from initial enquiry through to installation which was professional and efficient. Great personalized follow-up and customer support.

Jo Mechaelis-wall

We had Sunshine Solar install our 10 panel system almost a year ago and we are very happy with it. Obviously especially in summer where our bill went from $130 Dec 2021 down to $42 in Dec 2022!! It's more even over winter but still a saving and great to be part of covering our own needs including charging a car. We appreciated the clear information from James and easy installation process. Follow up after install was also great. Thanks Sunshine Solar team

Jenny Barnes

Sunshine Solar first assessed whether hot water only or full solar power generation was most suitable for my home. I appreciated that they didn't just try to sell me the more expensive system, but advised me that the hot water only made more economic sense for my small unit. They were flexible with me regarding the installation timeline and helpfully produced the extra documents I needed for getting a Good Energy loan from my bank. The installation went smoothly. I immediately noticed a savings as the hot water heating component was gone from my power bill. A year later they touched base again to make sure I'm happy with how it's going. I recommend getting in touch with them if you have questions about what system would work best for your place.

Kari White

I was new to solar and Chris explained everything very simply and clearly. It has now been 12 months since our installation and it has surpassed my expectations! A trustworthy and expert team who have followed up twice to make sure I understand how everything works.

Gary Sword

We are very happy with the level of service we have received before and after installation. We were kept informed every step of the process by the friendly and knowledgeable team including office staff.Always available to answer queries and help, knew their solar product and how it worked thoroughly. Helped with lining up an electrician who also was very informative and related companies to connect us with power. Already we can see the benefits and savings even though we have only had solar since the beginning of this year. We are definitely happy to recommend Sunshine to anybody who is thinking about getting solar installed at their place.Gary Sword

Chris Ansley

Easy to get a quote, which was accurate, installation went well, and friendly after service. I would recommend their service.

Hamish Allan

We had a 7.2kw, 18 panel, 5kw battery system installed last January. This system has exceeded our expectations and is performing as forecast in the Sunshine Solar quote. An unexpected outcome is a significant decrease in our energy usage due to being able to monitor our power consumption via the associated app which has resulted in an overall shorter pay back interval. The installers were on time and great to deal with. Speedy responses to post installation requests have resulted in system tweaks to maximise performance. We would recommend Sunshine Solar to anyone considering a home solar PV system.

John & Annette Hamilton

Sunshine Sola was our company of choice after having been to the Home Show. John Wilson and his staff have many years of experience and built up years of knowledge. The staff are very approachable and we highly recommend them.

Carolyn Roos

I can not recommend these folks enough from initial looking into solar and getting quote, to installation they even come and check system doing it's job. So good

Alistair Pilditch

We've had our system in for about 7 months now. Very happy with the level of service both before and after installation. It was installed when it was booked to go in and does exactly what we were told it would do. Sunshine were easy to deal with and easy to get hold of if you need to. A very friendly and approachable team. Definitely happy to recommend Sunshine to anyone thinking about getting solar installed at their place.

Nathan Mote

recommends

Sunshine solar were great to deal with. Great service and a great product. The install team were awesome and after sales was amazing.

We have had great service and would highly recommend. After a few months we would recommend Solar to anyone.

Robert Jarman

We installed an 8kw, 20 panel unit in January this year. I am very happy so far. The electricity savings are around $300 per month and that will mean a 12-15% return on our investment. Sunshine Solar also installed timers for our hot water cylinders and combined with a new power plan from Contact, the savings are substantial. I am thinking of installing 5 more panels set at a steeper angle to better utilise winter sun. I will be happy to get Sunshine Solar to do this job.

Scott Gardiner

Looked into getting solar for a variety of reasons and reasearched a number of providers before settling on Sunshine. Found their response very good, answering questions and moreover didnt promise the earth in terms of whats solar return on investment would be. All in all a good experience.

Keith Nicol

5years ago installed a water heating system which is working well. Earlier this year decided to install a 12 panel system for power to the rest of the house and couldn't be happier. Good power savings, even in winter, installation prompt, and follow up service excellent. Good explanation of the workings of the system. Thank you all.

Chris Lippitt

When we first decided to build a new house, John and Sunshine solar was recommended by a friend of ours. After talking with John about our needs, we decided to go with John and two years later. We finally moved in to our new home. The solar system works Great, Working with Sunshine Solar couldn't have been easier and we would highly recommend them to anybody.

Ross Bradshaw

The team at Sunshine Solar have been brilliant to deal with from start to finish. I can't recommend them more highly!

Scott B

Very well done and expertly installed. Can't ask for more. Would recommend them highly if you want solar power.

Darrin Mitchell

Had panels and a hot water diverter installed a few months ago. Whole process was great. From a quote to expected savings and seemless installation process. Had a small problem today with the hot water diverter. From phone call to problem fixed was just a couple of hours. Highly recommended this company.

Tracy Bedford

We had a Sunshine Solar system installed 20 years ago. Since then we have had A1 service from John and his crew. Recommend highly. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐+

Romain Lahaut

We were wanting to receive information about solar system options for our residential home. We have been in contact with Andrew from sunshine solar and we were pleased with the service! 5 star customer service! Thank you Andrew

Linda and Norman Wilkins

Sunshine installed a 12 panel system and it looks and works well. We needed a new Paladin screen and that was promptly done. They use Fresh Start electrical for the actual installation and I recommend both companies as highly as possible. They are absolutely great!

Pat Baker

There had been a problem with the circulating pump on our solar hot water and one quick email sorted it out, despite it was a Sunday. John was on the ball and nailed it with the information supplied and even added a video link that answered all my problems plus an insight of what the programme controller does that is not fully explained in the manual. Thanks again and highly recommended.

Stuart Foster

We moved into a new house with a legacy solar hot water system. Despite not being the original installer, John from Sunshine Solar was incredibly helpful in explaining how the system worked and how to troubleshoot issues we were having. John definitely knew his apples, so to speak, and I would recommend Sunshine Solar most highly.

Huntsman Brewing

I recently had a issue with my solar controller and called John who provided me with professional advice and step by step instructions on the unit configuration. He emailed me the manual for reference and was a pleasure to deal with.

Allan McLaughlin

Sunshine Solar are exceptionally helpful. We had an Evacuated tube system installed (by another company) on our new house in Wanaka 5 years ago and we haven't had to use electrical heating at all since, it's been beyond expectation. We had a few things to sort on with our controller and the original supplier was no longer available. In stepped Sunshine Solar, John was super helpful and patient as he guided us through reprogramming to suit our situation. Recently we needed a replacement part and again John diagnosed the fault over the phone and the new part arrived on the next courier. Evacuated tube's have worked well for us, no having to sell power back, the system just produces hot water, pure and simple. A large water cylinder ensures we maximize the sunshine available. Thanks Sunshine Solar.

Danbie Bong

Peter Atkins

David Kanyonganise

good the products you offer are nice and good. strong and durable

Frank Hendrikx

We have had several quotes and meetings with Solar Installers. Sunshine Solar were very responsive and seem to know their stuff. Their technical experience and ability to explain to non-technical people has been great. Their quote was fair and transparant. It is unfortunate that we are in a legal battle with another installer we had signed up with long ago, otherwise we would had chosen for Sunshine Solar.

Sharon Cairns

Kenneth Cairns

Samuel Utting

so good and helped me with my sunshine solar problems

Teariki Tuiono

Great investment - solar hot water. Awesome way to reduce your power bill.

david singleton

Great service and very efficient installation team, highly recommend.

Kathy Jennings

Great communication and workmanship. We have used no power for water heating for the past couple of months.

Peter Mwaba

It good for home use for ever.

Amelia & Mark Kerr-Wilson

alex timpson

Anji Li Na

Kerri Vandenberg

Quick and responsive, good pricing. Def recommend

simon randall

Awesome company ,awesome results having zero bills for our hot water for 4 months out of 5 and the bill we did get was for 46c,Totally recommend this company ,thanks

Thomas5636 wilson

Great company, friendly installers. Have had my water cylinder off since it was installed which has dropped my power bill by over $100 per month (since September) Would recommend these guys to anyone.

D Murray

Very helpful and knowledgeable. Would highly recommend!

Rudy Sage

Great service and company to deal with. Both John and Ben are very professional and I can vouch for their products.

Rafiou Ousmane Tchemagnihodé

Le meilleur des panneaux solaires.

Bev MacDougall

Very happy with Sunshine Solar. Called last Saturday night late, fully expecting to have to leave a message but John picked up and walked us through how to fix the problem and couldn't have been nicer. That fixed the problem but just to make sure John asked me to call on Monday so we could schedule a time for Ben and a plumber to come by. This was done and everything's great. Good customer service that's for sure.

Dave Allnutt

Have been dealing with Sunshine Solar for many years now. In my humble opinion, the best. Best product, best service and design.

22 Panels + 10kWh Battery + Backup – Fully Installed from $27,995 – Click Here