A&G PRICE
GOES SOLAR
Chances are that if you told them
they would one day run their
machines and steel melting
furnaces from electricity produced
from the sun you would have
probably been told you were mad.
But some 150 years later you will
find A & G Price Limited with
the largest hybrid solar electric
system in New Zealand
producing 315kw per hour
of electricity – perfect as
New Zealand heads into
our sunniest period.
Managing director
Peter Yates says
this aligns with
the company’s
environmental
focus of reducing its carbon footprint
while fulfilling current objectives of:
• Not using fossil fuels for melting
furnaces or heat treatment ovens
• Castings manufactured from 99%
recycled scrap steel
• Reclaiming and reusing 90% of the
sand needed for A&G’s foundry
moulds
• Fabrication, fitting and machine
shops running on renewable
energy
“This advancement has been made
viable by the reducing cost and
increased efficiency of solar energy
over the last five years,” says Mr
Yates.
“Skysolar were given the task of
measuring our usage and designing
a system to give optimum benefit.
Their final design comprised of 1016
solar panels capable of producing
310 watts each and battery storage
bank of 286kw comprising of 50
batteries.”
PROFILE OF SUCCESS
When Alfred and George Price opened their foundry
and engineering works in Thames, electricity wasn’t
even available. In fact, it wouldn’t be for another
29 years when in August 1899 the first electric
generator was installed in Thames for mine lights
at the Queen of Beauty Mine.
ENGINEERS OF EXCELLENCE
NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER HEAVY ENGINEERING COMPANY
With a suite of skills covering foundry, machining, fabrication, welding, fitting and engineering
design, A&G Price is the supplier of choice for manufacturers all around the world.
34 December 2019