Best Small Business 2021

Winner: Sunergy Solar Ltd

Sunergy Solar was established in 2016. We have developed a reputation in the South Island as professional, capable commercial solar power installers. We put a significant amount of effort into every proposal that we prepare, focusing on providing the most accurate information we can to allow our customers to make a decision. It is this level of detail and professionalism that is helping us secure more and more large commercial systems. We are very proud to showcase our work and know that anyone of our customers will happily recommend us. In the 2020FY we have doubled our turnover from the 2019FY and in 2021 we expect to double our turnover again. We believe we are installing more commercial solar power systems in the South Island than any of our competitors.

In November 2019 the Ministry of Education announced the Sustainability Contestable Fund. $5m was made available for schools to apply for projects that would reduce their carbon footprint and for small rural schools, increase their resilience. With a very short timeframe to work with we managed to help 70 schools get applications in. Through the two funding rounds we have now worked with 13 schools to date, with hopefully another 2 before the end of June. This means that Sunergy Solar has been responsible for one third of the solar power systems installed as part of the Sustainability Contestable Fund.

One of the things we are very proud of is that we focused on getting the schools the absolute best outcome possible with the funds that they had received. In some cases, like Waimate Main School, that involved decommissioning a second ICP which was costing the school $400 a month in connection fees. The end result is that we now have 13 schools to date that we consider friends. We also have the Energy Minister, Megan Woods, opening the Halfmoon Bay School system with us on July 2nd on Rakiura / Stewart Island. Given the island runs on diesel generated electricity currently, which costs 62c/kWh, the value of this system to the school and community is HUGE.