Where there's a will, there's a way. When businesses aim to reduce their emissions, they often need to explore innovative solutions, stay curious, and ask the right questions.
Investing in more sustainable assets can sometimes seem like an unnecessary expense at first. However, when you take a long-term view, these investments often turn out to be not only environmentally sustainable but also more economical for your business.
A great example of this is a New Zealand electric cherry farm, which demonstrates how embracing sustainability can lead to both financial and environmental benefits.
Mike Casey, the owner of Forest Lodge Orchard has redefined what sustainable farming can look like.
His cherry farm is New Zealand’s first fully electrified, zero fossil fuel orchard and serves as a proof that sustainability and profitability can go hand-in-hand when there's a will to make it happen. The farm has transitioned to using electric-powered systems for operations, reducing its reliance on fossil fuels.
The Investment
The journey to electrification wasn’t an easy or inexpensive one. Casey initially spent around NZ$600,000 more than traditional farming setups to ensure his orchard could run entirely on electric power.
This included setting up a 45kW solar array, 120kWh battery storage, and sourcing electric machinery like an electric tractor, frost-fighting fans, and other farm vehicles. However, these initial costs have since been offset by impressive long-term savings. The orchard now saves between NZ$50,000 and $60,000 annually on energy costs compared to other farms.
Efficiency is the key
One of the key innovations at Forest Lodge Orchard is the upright fruiting offshoot (UFO) system, which allows cherry trees to grow along wires — similar to grapevines — and increases the number of trees per hectare by approximately 2.5 times. This system increases the number of trees per hectare from the traditional 666 to 1,650, enhancing both light exposure and yield. Thanks to this setup, Casey’s farm has seen a 50-100% increase in cherry production per hectare.
Another game changer in efficiency was installing drip irrigation, where water and fertiliser are used more precisely, reducing waste and environmental impact.
Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of Forest Lodge’s success. While the farm takes 40-45% of its electricity from its solar panels, the remaining power comes from New Zealand’s renewable-heavy grid. Casey’s clever system buys power when prices are low, ensuring the farm runs on the cleanest and cheapest energy possible, and sells excess power back to the grid when prices peak. As a result, the orchard’s energy bill, including grid charges and consumption, has dropped to around $5,000 a year, a significant achievement given the scale of the operation.
Pioneering the way
Forest Lodge operates with 20 electric machines, including golf carts, an electric forklift, and various power tools. This comprehensive electrification means that no fossil fuels are burned on-site. Even the frost-fighting fans, traditionally massive energy consumers, have been replaced with efficient electric models imported from South Africa.
Beyond the numbers, Casey’s efforts are about proving that large-scale electrification is not just possible—it’s smart. New Zealand is at a tipping point where it's cheaper and more efficient to go electric than to rely on fossil fuels.
Casey hopes that the farm will serve as a model for other farmers and industries across the country. The large number of visitors to the orchard - farmers, environmentalists, and businesses alike are taking note of the cost savings, environmental benefits, and operational efficiency that come from going electric.
The electrification of Forest Lodge Orchard not only lowers emissions but also makes the farm more resilient to future energy price volatility. With plans to continue sharing the lessons learned from the orchard’s electrification, Casey is helping push the entire horticulture sector towards a greener, more sustainable future. His work extends far beyond the cherry orchard, advocating for widespread adoption of electric technologies in homes, farms, and businesses across the country.
Conclusion
Ultimately, Forest Lodge Orchard is more than a cherry farm—it’s a powerful demonstration that sustainability, innovation, and profitability can go hand-in-hand.
If a cherry farm in rural New Zealand can achieve net-zero energy and near-zero emissions, there’s no reason why other industries and individuals can’t learn from this example and follow suit.
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