As power prices continue to rise across New Zealand, dairy farmers are feeling the squeeze more than most. With irrigation systems, milking sheds, and other on-farm tech relying heavily on electricity, energy costs are becoming a major pain point. But ASB has launched a game-changing initiative: the ASB SMART Solar Loan – a powerful new offer that helps rural businesses invest in solar energy with zero-interest finance.
ASB is now offering interest-free loans of up to $150,000 for five years to eligible rural customers investing in solar and battery systems. That means farmers can get started with clean, self-generated energy without the burden of high upfront costs — the #1 reason many haven’t made the switch to solar.
This offer is designed to:
To help farmers understand the full value of switching to solar, ASB has partnered with Prism Earth to create a suite of interactive online tools. These digital tools will be available soon and will allow dairy farmers to:
Early modelling shows that a typical 250m² ground-mounted solar system could save up to $598,200 over its lifespan, with a median installation cost of around $110,600. Many farms could see a full return on investment by year six of operation.
For dairy operations, energy use is both critical and constant — from running refrigeration and vacuum pumps to powering irrigation during dry spells. And with rural properties often last to be reconnected after outages, energy independence is no longer a luxury — it’s a necessity.
North Otago dairy farmer Otto Dogterom installed a 240kWh solar system in 2021 to power irrigation on his 300-hectare farm. His motivation? Rising power prices and a desire to gain more control over his operating costs. “Power prices were going up faster than inflation,” he says. “It just made sense to future-proof.”
Otto’s setup is an example of how solar energy doesn’t just make environmental sense — it makes strong business sense.
With the right conditions, solar can save dairy farmers hundreds of thousands of dollars over its lifetime. Whether you’re looking to reduce energy bills, prepare for outages, or align with sustainability goals, this interest-free solar loan is worth a serious look.
Talk to the friendly Agri Solar team on 020 4025 6136 or request a free Solar Quote for your farm below.
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