Originally hailing from Auckland, Grahame and his family have called Mangawhai home since 2006. While it was his solar-minded neighbours up the road that ultimately convinced him to move to solarZero, the 81-year-old's introduction to the power of solar energy came many years earlier when he was a plumber, which often involved solar water heaters. "I didn't realise how far it would go," he admits. Grahame is still hard at work as a specialised gas fitter for caravans and motorhomes, which all have solar panels installed too.

Rising electricity prices were a shock to the system for Grahame, especially as he runs a two-bedroom Bachcare rental property below his home. "The power bills were about $435 every month. And I thought ‘We better do something about that'. Since we joined solarZero the bill has decreased quite substantially," he shares.

Referring to the solar subscription that includes a smart battery as "magic" he speaks enthusiastically about the dip in his power bill ever since the solar panels were installed. "It's totally changed my energy bill and I'm quite happy with what's happening. It's decreasing every month." When asked about just how much he's saving, Grahame reckons his bill has dropped by "about half" at the moment - a relief as he's continuing to rent out their downstairs area to holiday makers.

Grahame says, "By the looks of things, the benefits of solar have been recognised by lots of people in the area. They're magic! A lot of the farms too. They're totally reliant on solar and they have very big battery banks. What a great idea!," shares Grahame.

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