ACTUAL INDEPENDENCE:

Fourth-generation diary farmers John and Rochelle Pekin made the call to shift to on-site renewables after it became clear their Nikep Dairy Farm would struggle to remain profitible while exposed to soaring grid power prices.

Being at the fringe of the Victorian grid, power reliability had also been a problem for the energy intensive, 950-cow dairy farm, which up until now has depended on a mix of grid electricity and diesel to power its operations for milking, cooling, and effluent management.

To address these concerns, agribusiness solar and storage integrator, Farming the Sky (Commpower Industrial), installed a 250kW rooftop solar system and 520kWh Renaissance superRack battery, to store the excess solar.

Farming the Sky has estimated that the new solar and battery system will reduce the Nikep Dairy Farm's reliance on grid electricity by up to 95 percent, and decrease its energy and fuel bills by a whopping $70,000 a year.

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