Event
Solar in action in Mid-Canterbury
Join EECA, Mt Somers Station and Lake Heron Station for a practical day getting hands on with solar and learn how it is helping farmers reduce reliance on grid electricity and power their day-to-day operations.
Event overview
Discover how solar power and battery storage is helping farmers reduce reliance on grid electricity and power their day-to-day operations.
Join EECA for a behind-the-scenes look at two large Mid-Canterbury farms putting solar to work. Hear directly from the famers about their experiences, the opportunities solar presents for agriculture, and how they’re making the most of the electricity they generate.
If you’re exploring solar for your own farm or are interested in how renewable energy can support your operation, this is an opportunity to learn directly from other farmers, ask questions, and get valuable real-world insights.
Site visit: Mt Somers Station
We’ll start the day at Mt Somers Station where Kate and David Acland are using solar to power their dairy shed. They’ll share their experience alongside Jared Clarke, a dairy farmer at Mount Rivers, who will talk about using solar to power his 1,000-cow irrigated dairy farm at Valetta.
Optional second site visit: Lake Heron Station
After the Mt Somers visit, attendees can choose to continue to Lake Heron Station, around 50 minutes away. At this high-country merino farm, Philip and Anne Todhunter will showcase their ground-mounted solar array and battery system, installed in July 2026, and explain how they’re using the electricity generated on-farm.
Event details
| Date: | Thursday 18th February 2027 |
| Time: | 10am – 3pm (TBC) |
| Locations: |
Mt Somers Station dairy shed, 497 Ashburton Gorge Road, Mount Somers. Optional second stop: Lake Heron Station woolshed, 2504 Hakatere Heron Road, Ashburton Lakes. |
We will share an event programme with registered attendees closer to the time.
About the organisers
This open day has been organised in partnership between EECA, Mount Somers Station and Lake Heron Station to highlight the opportunity for farmers to utilise solar in their operations.
For enquiries about the event, email solar@eeca.govt.nz
Mt Somers Station and Lake Heron Station are two of 37 EECA solar demonstration farms around New Zealand who are sharing their solar and battery experience.