Solar pump program

We’re helping Sunshine State farmers and station owners make savings while managing their current and future water-pumping needs with a renewable energy solution, powered for free by Queensland sunshine.

Do you want to spend less money on your farm’s electricity? Do you have a pump only connection that doesn’t need 24/7 power supply and is also located at the end of a powerline on your property? If the answer is yes, you could be eligible for a cashback reward through our Solar Pump Program.

Cashback rewards

The Solar Pump Program is already helping eligible farmers and station owners across Queensland to meet the costs of purchasing a solar pump as an alternative to their existing electricity grid supply.

Under the program, eligible customers are provided with a cashback reward when they:

• Purchase a solar pump as an alternative to their existing grid connected pump; and
• Abolish (remove) their connection to our electricity network¹.

Benefits of the program

Under the Solar Pump Program, eligible customers can benefit from:

• Real cost savings – reduced energy costs because solar water pumps don’t incur the ongoing costs of electricity or fuel
• Reliable power supply – the confidence of reliable pumping when the sun shines with paddock-proof technology
• Renewable energy – great for the environment, powered by locally generated renewable energy
• Removal of powerlines reduces risk – with power generated on site, redundant powerlines can be removed, eliminating the need for us to access your property for line patrols and asset inspections. It also reduces the risk of injury to people and damage to property and livestock where shared activities occur.

Our Solar Pump Program offer is designed to provide a benefit to both our customers and us. As a distribution network operator, any reduction to our network operation and maintenance costs in turn results in cost savings to our customers.

A solar pump is a practical solution that makes sense technically, environmentally and financially. Read more on how they can provide value in our Solar Pump Case Study (PDF 886.6 kb) or find more information in our Frequently Asked Questions (PDF 743.2 kb).

Eligibility for the program

Strict criteria will determine whether or not you are eligible to participate, and not everyone's needs can be met by solar pumps. Your storage capacity, power usage and infrastructure must meet certain conditions to be considered for participation in this program.

To be considered for our Solar Pump Program:

• You must have a pump only connection which does not require 24/7 power supply
• Your pump must be situated at the end of a section of powerline
• Your pumping needs must be able to be met during the hours when the sun shines, or you have a back-up power supply or plan to meet your needs in case there are consecutive cloudy days when the solar pump may not operate
• There must also be a cost saving and/or operational benefit to us.

We recognise that the program is not a solution for everyone. It will only be offered where there is a demonstrated customer and network benefit. We will work with you and your pump supplier to explore if a solar pump is feasible and can deliver cost-saving benefits.

How to apply

To confirm if our Solar Pump Program is right for you, please submit an application as follows:

Get in touch

If you think you might qualify, or for more information, please call the team on 1300 071 169 or email solarpumps@ergon.com.au (please provide your National Metering Identifier (NMI) or address when you contact us).