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Leading independent energy retailer, Pulse Energy, and solar energy company, Lodestone Energy, announced an alliance today that will enable energy consumers to choose solar power as an alternative in the New Zealand Electricity Market.

The parties solidified a long-term arrangement, beginning with Lodestone’s Kaitaia Solar Farm, with the intention of developing solar offerings for existing Pulse customers and eventually expanding to consumers nationwide.

Pulse Energy has over 80,000 customers across New Zealand and is owned by South Island energy companies Pioneer Energy and Buller Electricity.  Pulse sells electricity under a number of retail brands such as Grey Power Electricity, Pioneer Energy Retail, Pulse Energy and Just Energy.

Gary Holden, Managing Director of Lodestone Energy, says, “Pulse emerged as the front-runner in a selection process Lodestone conducted in late 2021.  We felt that Pulse historically has shown it has the capability to build innovative new offers in the residential market and their innovative solutions to incorporate solar from a solar farm were far and away the most appealing.  

“Since inception, Lodestone’s ambition has been to enable ways for consumers to benefit from grid-scale solar and, to be effective, it required immediate scale.  Our first five solar farms provide an excellent foundation for our retail partner to build a new energy platform.  

“Pulse can manage the complexities of branding, manage large volumes of half-hourly solar production data and has an innovative approach to billing that is required for this idea.  It is going to be very exciting to see how quickly New Zealanders embrace the concept of a ‘virtual solar rooftop’ from a sunny location for supplying their homes and small businesses.”

In addition to the Kaitaia farm, Lodestone has farms coming on-line in Edgecumbe, Waiotahe, Whitianga and Dargaville. Each solar generation plant will maintain productive farming capability to maximise the renewable energy output in the most sustainable way.

Sharnie Warren, Chief Executive of Pulse Energy, says “Giving our customers access to grid-scale solar is going to be the most effective way to accelerate production of solar energy in the generation market. Grid-scale solar is lower cost than traditional rooftop solar – so more consumers will be able to take advantage of this fantastic renewable energy source.  To develop a nationwide solar offer requires a large pipeline of farms and Lodestone has proven that they are leading the way. We’re looking forward to our customers increasingly enjoying the benefit of grid-scale solar as more farms come on-line in the future.”