Clean, green energy has never been more accessible, and, when it comes to rooftop solar installations, the myriad benefits are hard to look past. We had a chat with Lightforce Solar about choosing energy independence — and getting rid of the power bill for good.
THE DIRECTOR OF Lightforce Solar, John Harman, doesn’t mince his words. He pulls up to our meeting in an electric vehicle, gets out, and plugs it in to charge. He’s not paying for the privilege, he tells us, thanks to the rooftop solar that was installed on this house about a year ago; instead, he’s showing us how more New Zealanders can power their homes — and cars — with the sun.
In the house he’s invited us to, John explains, the owners have not had a power bill, and have generated income by selling excess power back to the grid throughout the year — all by integrating rooftop solar.
There’s not much sun when we visit; it’s a warm spring day and the clouds are filtering the light intermittently. Despite this, the solar panels keep delivering and, by the time we leave, the car is charged and John is on his way, fuelled by the sun.
The house itself is located on the coast, and recently underwent a significant renovation with the aim of creating a place of retreat that was more connected to its natural surroundings. The alterations focused on the beachfront elevation, which was softened to sit more gently on its site.
Behind this, the west-facing roofs were optimised for solar generation — a move that allows the significant installation to be neatly concealed from view.
“At Lightforce Solar, we provide a full in-house service covering everything from bespoke design, solar consultancy, and installation to lifelong service support for high-performance, reliable solar power systems. We individually design your rooftop solar based on your power usage and roof design,” John explains.
“These are architecturally designed flat black panels that are placed discreetly and set back from the edges so they are invisible from anywhere on the ground and don’t take away from the beauty of the architecture.”
Since its inception more than 10 years ago as a one-man startup, Lightforce Solar has grown exponentially, now employing more than 120 staff and operating nationwide. That’s thanks in part to significant advancements in technology, which mean the cost of solar panels has decreased and efficiency has increased.
“We have never had a higher quality solar panel at a cheaper price than we do today. Solar panels used to be thought of as expensive and not a good technology. That’s all changed, and we’re providing the world’s best panels, which are fully recyclable at the end of their life,” John tells us.
“Of all the OECD countries, New Zealand currently has the lowest number of rooftop solar systems. We are way behind the rest of the world, but, really, we shouldn’t be. Rooftop solar is the cheapest form of electricity generation in the world; economically speaking, it’s a no-brainer, and I believe every rooftop in New Zealand that’s suitable should have solar panels.
“The zero emissions thing sounds a bit ethereal, but, if you’re using solar, you are doing exactly that — creating zero emissions and reducing your carbon footprint. As a human being, that’s incredibly important.”
