Practising what we preach: solar on Sinclair HQ in Ōpunake
20.4 kW commercial solar and a 22 kW EV charger powering three local businesses under one roof — with ~$25k/year in combined energy savings when sunshine becomes kilometres.
Never ask customers to do something you wouldn’t do yourself. At Sinclair Solar, one of our first major commercial installs went on our own premises in Ōpunake — the roof that covers Sinclair Electrical & Refrigeration, Guthrie Bowron, and Appliance Plus.
Electricians, refrigeration techs, retail customers, lighting, offices, and workshop equipment all run during business hours. Daytime demand is high and consistent. Rising electricity prices made solar an obvious investment — and a live showroom for everyone who walks through the door.
The design: 20.4 kW solar + 22 kW EV charging
We sized the system around how the businesses actually operate:
- 43 × 475 W Risen N-Type TOPCon panels (20.4 kW)
- Sungrow SG20RT 20 kW three-phase inverter
- Sungrow 22 kW three-phase EV charger
- Estimated annual generation: ~26,999 kWh
Because our load sits almost entirely in daylight, most generation is consumed on-site rather than exported.
Designed around the business
The array spans two large roof sections for a clean, symmetrical install and strong generation through the working day.
The biggest operational win has been the EV charger. It charges our two BYD Shark plug-in hybrid utes from surplus solar — sunshine into kilometres instead of cheap export to the grid.
The numbers
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Annual generation | ~26,999 kWh |
| Electricity bill reduction | ~67% |
| Power bill savings | ~$5,300 / year |
| Fuel savings (2 × BYD Shark) | ~$20,000 / year |
| Combined energy savings | ~$25,300 / year |
It’s astonishing how much payback improves when solar is converted into kilometres instead of being exported.
Built for the future
As more vehicles move to electricity, every kilometre driven on solar improves the return. Premium Risen TOPCon panels and a Sungrow commercial inverter are built to keep delivering for decades.
Sinclair insight: the real value of solar isn’t always the power bill — it’s replacing other operating costs. Solar + smart EV charging + electric vehicles working together is the model we install for customers, because we run it ourselves.
Thinking about solar for your business?
If your business operates in daylight hours, commercial solar can cut operating costs hard. Pair it with EV charging and the benefits extend well beyond the electricity bill.
Book a free commercial solar assessment →
Or see the full project write-up: Sinclair HQ use case.