New Plymouth Airport Goes Off-Grid In NZ First, Powered By Thundergrid

New Plymouth Airport is on track to become New Zealand’s first energy self-sufficient airport powered by renewable energy resources, thanks to solar power and battery technology.

New Plymouth Airport is set to complete its 10MW solar farm in November. Wellington-based EV charging services and grid management specialists Thundergrid have been collaborating with the airport to supply and integrate a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) to store solar power generated during the day and fully power the terminal at night.

New Plymouth Airport CEO David Scott says that by doing this, they’ve created their own renewable power source - the first airport in NZ to be fully energy-sufficient.

“The BESS will essentially ‘time shift’ energy produced during the day to be used in the evening, when there’s most demand on the grid. Not only will we have our own supply, we also know it will be generated from renewable resources.

“Our motivations in building the solar farm were to better utilise airport operational buffer land, contribute to the national push towards decarbonisation and shield ourselves from electricity price uncertainty and cost inflation. To optimise the outcomes of this project against these goals makes good commercial sense, and we are excited to be partnering with an entity of Thundergrid’s pedigree to deliver the BESS to achieve that,” he said.

Thundergrid co-founder Jonathan Zukerman says the battery technology they’re installing at New Plymouth airport demonstrates the potential for greater energy resilience across the country.

“Our work with New Plymouth Airport ticks all the boxes for building energy resilience while transitioning to renewable sources. It’s no longer just an environmentally responsible choice – it’s a smart business decision providing clean and cheap energy while removing pressure from the grid - ensuring there’s enough energy for everyone without needing to build new grid infrastructure,”

He adds that battery technology has untapped potential for homeowners and other businesses, too, as EV adoption continues to grow. Thundergrid has also installed 40 smart EV chargers for rental cars at New Plymouth Airport and is about to commence construction of a public rapid-charger facility in the main Airport car park. Once the solar farm is complete, it will also power these chargers.

More information on New Plymouth’s Airport on-site solar farm and sustainable energy ecosystem can be found here: https://airportstories.co.nz/sustainability/

About Thundergrid:

Thundergrid is a New Zealand-based leader in electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, dedicated to making the transition to electric transport smarter and more sustainable. Founded in 2017 by Jonny Parker and Jonathan Zukerman, Thundergrid pioneers smart technology that optimises charging across all sorts of EVs, while balancing demand on the grid to support energy equity for all. As one of the only EV charging providers in New Zealand with this capability, Thundergrid ensures existing electricity infrastructure can keep pace with growing electric vehicle adoption.

Now wholly owned by global energy technology company Landis+Gyr, Thundergrid is headquartered in Wellington, supporting customers across New Zealand and Australia with EV solutions and dynamic load management for everything from homes to businesses big and small, and from cars to heavy machinery and beyond.

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