Farm Solar FAQ
System Design & Suitability
Most farms and orchards are excellent candidates for solar, particularly if your power bill exceeds $250 a month. Agricultural properties tend to have large roof areas or open land, high daytime energy consumption, and long-term operational stability, all of which make solar a strong investment. The bigger your energy consumption, the faster your return.
Absolutely. These are some of the most power-hungry loads on any farm, and solar is well-suited to offsetting their running costs. While large motors draw significant power at startup, a well-designed system takes this into account and can meaningfully reduce the overall cost of running heavy equipment throughout the day.
Yes, solar can be installed across multiple structures on the same property, provided the electrical infrastructure is already in place to service those buildings. If cabling or switchboard upgrades are needed, DMAK Electrical can assess and advise on what’s required as part of the design process.
North-facing is ideal in the Southern Hemisphere as it captures the most sunlight across the day, but east and west-facing roofs also perform well. A split east/west system can actually spread your generation more evenly across morning and afternoon, which suits farms with load spread throughout the day.
Shading is one of the key factors we assess during a site evaluation. Where possible, we’ll design the system to avoid shaded areas entirely, or recommend the best placement on your property to maximise sunlight exposure. Even partial shading can significantly reduce output, so getting the positioning right from the start is important.
Both options have merit depending on your situation. Rooftop is typically the more cost-effective install, but ground-mount offers real advantages, panels can be oriented perfectly north, tilted to the optimal angle, and are generally easier to access for cleaning and maintenance. Ground-mount is a great solution where roof space is limited or the roof condition isn’t suitable.
It depends on the size of the system you need, but as a rough guide, an area of around 50m x 25m gives you enough room for a decent-sized farm system. We’ll assess your available land as part of the design process and work with what you have.
Yes, with battery storage integrated into the design, you can store energy generated during the day and use it to shave those high-demand peaks in the early morning or evening. This is particularly useful for operations like milking sheds or packhouses where energy use spikes outside of peak solar generation hours.
There’s no universal answer, it depends on the size of your power bill, your energy usage patterns, and the space available. That said, dairy operations typically require systems in the range of 30kW to 50kW. Horticulture and cropping varies widely. DMAK Electrical will assess your bills and usage before recommending a system size that delivers the best return.
Yes. Solar can be configured to work alongside your existing generator setup, with the generator acting as backup during extended low-generation periods or high-demand times. This is a common setup on farms where full grid independence isn’t practical.
No. We design and install with your farm operations in mind. Biosecurity protocols are respected throughout the installation process, and we’ll plan the work so that access ways, yards, and operational areas remain clear and functional.
Financial & ROI
When a system is correctly sized for your operation, we aim for a full return on investment within five years. After that point, the power you generate is essentially free, which, over the 25–30 year life of the panels, represents substantial long-term savings.
Savings are directly tied to the size of your system and how well it matches your energy usage. As a general guide, if you invest $30,000 in a system that delivers a 20% return, you’d expect to see around $6,000 reduced from your annual power bill. DMAK Electrical will model this specifically for your property based on your actual bills.
Yes, farms investing in solar currently benefit from a 20% tax boost in the first year, followed by 16% depreciation annually in subsequent years. These incentives can meaningfully improve the financial case for going solar and are worth factoring into your ROI calculations.
Several factors influence overall cost: the size of the system, the complexity of the installation (roof slope, height, and condition), whether trenching is required to connect multiple buildings, and whether you’re including battery storage. DMAK Electrical will provide a detailed quote that accounts for all of these variables.
Right now, yes. Export rates for farms are sitting around 12–14 cents per kWh, which makes exporting surplus generation a worthwhile proposition. Export rates can change over time, which is one of the reasons we recommend considering battery storage to protect against any future rate reductions.
Yes, this is one of the strongest long-term arguments for solar. By generating your own power, you reduce your exposure to grid price increases. The more electricity costs rise, the more valuable your solar system becomes, and the faster your payback improves in real terms.
DMAK Electrical will model your expected ROI as part of the system design process. If you provide us with your power bills and details about your high-energy equipment, we can produce a clear picture of what the system will save you annually and how long it will take to pay for itself.
Currently the main incentive available is the 20% tax boost for businesses investing in solar. We’d recommend speaking with your accountant about how best to apply this alongside the standard depreciation schedule, as the combined effect can significantly reduce your net cost.
Solar lowers your power costs immediately and continues to do so as electricity prices increase over time. With a system designed to last 25–30 years, the long-term operational savings are substantial and the protection against future price rises adds even more value the longer you hold the asset.
Installation & Logistics
Most rural solar installations are completed within three to five days. Larger systems or those involving ground-mount structures, extensive trenching, or multiple buildings may take a little longer. We’ll give you a clear timeframe upfront so you can plan around it.
DMAK Electrical do everything we can to work around your farm schedule. Our team plans the installation sequence to minimise disruption to your core operations, and we’ll work with you ahead of time to identify any critical periods to work around.
Yes, corrugated iron roofs are one of the most common surfaces we work with on rural properties. We will assess the structural condition of the roof prior to installation to make sure it’s suitable and safe to work on.
The main things are to ensure your roof is in good condition and to have a clear idea of what you’re hoping to achieve with solar, whether that’s reducing your overall bill, covering specific loads, or achieving backup power capability. DMAK Electrical will guide you through everything else.
In some cases, yes, particularly if work is being done near yards, races, or shelters. Any requirement to move livestock will be discussed and organised well in advance with farm owners so it fits in with your management schedule.
Yes. Heavy rain, high winds, or unsafe rooftop conditions will pause outdoor and rooftop work until conditions improve. We build some weather buffer into our scheduling, but rural installs are always subject to the elements.
Who handles inspections and sign-off once the system is installed?
DMAK Electrical arranges an independent electrical inspector to review and sign off on the completed system. This ensures full compliance with New Zealand electrical standards and gives you confidence that the installation has been independently verified.
Technology, Batteries & Performance
Battery storage is well worth considering for most farm operations. It gives you power security during grid outages and allows you to store energy for use in the morning or evening when solar isn’t generating. It also protects you if export rates drop in the future, since you can use more of what you generate rather than selling it back at a lower rate.
Not without a battery. Grid-tied solar systems without storage are designed to shut down during an outage for safety reasons. If backup power is a priority for your operation, we’ll design the system with a battery and the appropriate switching to keep essential loads running when the grid goes down.
DMAK Electrical doesn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. We’ll recommend the best combination of products for your specific situation, taking into account system size, load profile, and budget. Most farm systems will be three-phase setups, and we work with proven, commercially-supported brands that perform reliably in agricultural environments.
You can expect at least 15 years from the system as a whole before any components need attention. The panels themselves are rated for 25–30 years, and inverters and batteries typically come with 10-year warranties. After the first decade or so, a battery replacement may be the only significant cost.
Cloud cover will reduce generation, though modern panels still produce some output on overcast days. Frosty mornings typically clear quickly and don’t cause lasting issues. Interestingly, very hot days can slightly reduce panel efficiency, but in practice New Zealand summer conditions tend to produce strong generation overall.
Yes — systems can be designed with future expansion in mind. If you anticipate adding new buildings, upgrading equipment, or installing EV charging infrastructure down the track, we can factor that into the initial design to make future expansion straightforward.
Solar handles variable loads well. Irrigation pumps that cycle on and off throughout the day are a natural fit for solar generation, and the system simply draws from the grid to top up when solar output isn’t sufficient to cover peak demand.
Yes, a build-up of dust or pollen on panels will reduce their output over time. For most properties, an annual clean is sufficient to maintain performance. If your property is in a particularly dusty or high-pollen area, two cleans per year may be worthwhile.
String inverters are our recommendation for most rural and agricultural systems. They’re robust, cost-effective at scale, and easier to service in a farm environment. We’ll specify the right inverter configuration for your system during the design phase.
Yes, solar can be set up to power EV chargers and electric farm vehicles, provided the system is correctly sized and configured for the additional load. As electric farm equipment becomes more common, having solar already in place puts you in a strong position to take advantage of it.
Maintenance & Monitoring
For most farms, once a year is sufficient. Properties in high-dust or high-pollen areas, particularly orchards or cropping operations, may benefit from two cleans per year to maintain peak performance.
Do you offer scheduled maintenance or service packages?
Yes, DMAK Electrical offers 12-month service packages to keep your system running at its best. Regular servicing helps catch any minor issues early and ensures your system continues to perform as expected over its lifetime.
Every system comes with access to a monitoring app that gives you a real-time view of your generation, consumption, and export. You can see exactly where your power is going at any point in the day, which is useful for understanding and optimising your usage patterns.
What signs indicate a system fault or underperformance?
The monitoring app will flag any faults or unusual drops in production. You might also notice it through your power bills if generation has been lower than expected. In most cases, the system will alert you before you’d notice any other sign.
We recommend an annual inspection of the inverter to check it’s operating correctly, connections are clean and secure, and no faults have developed. This is typically included as part of a standard service visit.
Yes, the monitoring app sends automatic alerts if the system detects a fault or if production drops below expected levels. This means most issues are identified and can be addressed quickly, often before they cause any significant loss of generation.
DMAK Electrical provides ongoing support for all systems we install. Whether it’s a question about your monitoring app, a performance concern, or a service call, we’re only a phone call away. We stand behind our installs and are committed to keeping your system performing well for the long term.
The main things are straightforward: keep the panels clean and free of dust and debris, ensure the inverter area is well-ventilated and clean, and take advantage of annual servicing to catch anything early. A well-maintained system will reliably deliver for 25 years or more.