Skiing on Commercial Solar Pow(d)er
From solar panels to impact:
Annual Energy Production: 1,500 MWh/ yr
Environmental value: 101t carbon offset/ yr
Social value: Supporting year-round training programmes for schools and elite athletes
1.05 MWp commercial solar system
Keeping 8,000 square metres of indoor ski slopes at a constant -5°C, 365 days a year, is highly energy intensive. For Snowplanet, Australasia’s only operating indoor ski venue, shifting a significant portion of its energy consumption from grid electricity to solar power proved to be a smart business decision.
Sunergise delivered a 1.05-megawatt solar energy system on the hillside beside the facility in Silverdale, Auckland. The system’s solar generation is roughly 1,500 MWh per year, covering approximately 30 percent of the facility’s total demand. The article looks at Snowplanet’s transition to solar PV, highlighting business impact of the project, the engineering solution and environmental benefits.
The Challenge
The facility requires substantial amounts of energy to operate year-round. The primary driver of demand is not the nightly snow-making, but the building’s cooling itself, which peaks on the hottest days of summer.
Sunergise’s Solar Power Solution
A 1.05 MWp ground-mounted solar installation with 2,317 commercial solar panels, delivered under a SunPlus™ Power Purchase Agreement with no upfront capital cost, provides Snowplanet with long-term price certainty and lower electricity costs. Leveraging Sunergise’s engineering expertise, the system was strategically installed on the hillside beside the facility after engineers determined that the roof’s 150-tonne load and waterproof membrane made a rooftop installation unsuitable. Designed for optimal year-round performance, the system generates surplus electricity on sunny summer days, exporting 454 MWh of solar electricity annually back to the grid.
A Moment to remember: Project Highlight
When the system was commissioned in July 2026, visitors were able to hit the solar pow(d)ered ski slopes for the first time, marking a renewable energy era at Snowplanet with lower electricity bills and broader environmental benefits, including a smaller carbon footprint and fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
A Word from our Client
“Keeping 8,000 square metres of snow frozen requires power around the clock. While solar doesn’t replace the grid entirely, cutting our grid draw by 30 per cent stabilizes our operating costs.“
Rojie Aguilar, General Manager, Snowplanet
