SEANZ Awards – Best Off-Grid Winner!⁠

The Sunergise and Infratec teams have been recognised as solar industry leaders at this year’s Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand awards. The Kayangal Hybrid Project in Palau was awarded Best Off-Grid Implementation as a best practice example -addressing the three pillars of sustainability (Economic, Environmental and Social).⁠

The system will save the community around NZD62,000 a year thanks to displaced spending on diesel. Per capita, this represents $1800/year per person.⁠

Environmentally, this system will save approximately 2000 tonnes of CO2-e over the project’s lifetime thanks to displaced spending on diesel fuel.⁠

Education, training and employment were provided to those within the Kayangel community. The skills acquisition has long-term benefits for income provision in communities with few employment opportunities.⁠

⁠Sunergise GM Paul Makumbe said “I’m excited about the work that both organisations are doing in New Zealand and the Pacific to help the transition to a renewably-powered future,” adding the recent launch by Sunergise of New Zealand’s largest solar power plant in South Taranaki represents “more good news ahead for the industry as companies become aware of the immediate benefits of solar.”

The Kayangal project was the first example of a PV and Battery based micro-grid in Palau. The community there now has a long-term, reliable electricity supply that is no longer reliant on diesel fuel. ⁠