Deadline: October 16, 2025
The Solar on Farms – Demonstration Fund is now open for applications, offering support to farmers to reduce energy costs, improve energy resilience, and encourage the wider uptake of solar across New Zealand’s farming sector.
The focus is on equipment, energy supplies, innovation, agriculture and farming. The objectives are to reduce your energy costs and improve the energy resilience of your farming operation, and play a part in supporting the uptake of solar on a wide range of farm types across New Zealand.
The fund will support up to 40 farms, covering a portion of solar and battery system installation costs. Specifically, it can provide up to 40% of inverter and battery system costs, capped at $450 per kWh of nominal battery capacity installed, with a maximum of $100,000. Additionally, it will cover up to 20% of solar array costs such as PV modules and installation, capped at $410 per kWp of direct current capacity, also up to $100,000.
Eligibility requires farms to install both solar and battery systems, or batteries where solar already exists, with installation to be completed by 30 June 2026. Applicants must provide at least one itemised installer quote, a recent electricity bill, and annual usage data. Successful applicants must share real-time energy use data and experiences with EECA to help build resources for the broader farming community.
The programme seeks a wide variety of farms across the country, including dairy, sheep and beef, arable, horticulture, pig and poultry farming, plant nurseries, viticulture, and other livestock farms. Lifestyle farms, non-farming entities, utility-scale solar operations above 500kW, and government organisations are not eligible. Farmers must also demonstrate good compliance history and industry engagement, as they may be featured in case studies, interviews, and open days to highlight solar system performance.
Applications will be assessed based on whether the farm type and region are priorities for demonstration, the project offers good value for money, and whether the farm provides strong demonstration potential through community connections and industry involvement.
Farmers who join the programme will not only benefit from financial support but also contribute to shaping practical, real-life examples of solar and battery performance across farm types, providing valuable knowledge to others in the sector.
For more information, visit EECA.
