Red Beach Surf Club Solar Install
with Entelar Energy and Trilect Solar

Entelar Energy’s vision was about much more than simply a one-off solar installation for a worthy community group. Beyond the immediate benefits at Red Beach, this project was an opportunity for Entelar Energy and Trilect Solar to showcase how community energy projects can deliver outstanding technical performance and exceptional long-term value — while developing a scalable, repeatable model capable of supporting other surf lifesaving clubs and grassroots organisations throughout New Zealand.

That starts with meticulous planning. Entelar Energy and Trilect Solar carried out a detailed engineering assessment of Red Beach Surf Lifesaving Club, using 12 months of half-hourly interval data drawn from the club’s own electricity bills to analyse real-world demand patterns, optimise system performance, maximise self-consumption, and achieve the greatest financial benefit for the club.

The result was a high-performance 43.68kW DC solar PV system comprising 96 SunPower Performance 7 455W N-Type TOPCon solar modules paired with an Entelar Energy 29.9kW three-phase Smart String Inverter. Operating at up to 98.7% efficiency, the inverter incorporates integrated string-level monitoring, arc-fault protection, surge protection, remote communications, and advanced performance diagnostics to ensure optimal generation and long-term reliability. The array was modelled in Pylon software across two roof faces, arranged in five colour-coded strings each returning approximately 6kW to the inverter.

The coastal site presented environmental challenges that required premium equipment solutions. The selected modules are certified to IEC 61701 Salt Mist Severity Level 8 standards and carry an industry-leading 30-year product and performance warranty, making them ideally suited to New Zealand’s harsh coastal conditions.

The completed system is forecast to generate approximately 56MWh of renewable energy every year at 87% system efficiency, reducing the club’s annual electricity costs by approximately 64% — delivering estimated annual savings of $9,338 and a 30-year NPV of $170,717 — funds that can be redirected into lifesaving equipment, volunteer programmes, youth development and community services.

The project is an excellent demonstration of just what is possible when industry expertise, innovation, and community purpose come together.

Working together, Entelar Energy and Trilect Solar transformed months of planning into reality during a highly coordinated four-day installation programme.

Every aspect of the project was meticulously prepared before work commenced, including detailed array modelling, colour-coded string layouts, cable routing plans and commissioning procedures. This preparation enabled the team to deliver a complex commercial solar installation with remarkable efficiency and precision.

At peak activity, five installers worked simultaneously across the site. Despite the scale of the project, the surf club remained fully operational throughout, with installation activities carefully planned around community bookings and day-to-day operations. Members were able to continue using the facility while major construction activities progressed safely overhead.

Electrical apprentices worked alongside Trilect Solar’s experienced solar electricians throughout the installation, contributing to mounting, DC cabling, inverter installation, testing and commissioning — gaining practical experience in commercial solar construction under professional supervision. This investment in youth development aligned closely with the values shared by both Entelar Energy and Trilect Solar. Just as surf lifesaving clubs develop future community leaders, this project helped develop future electrical and renewable energy professionals.

The club’s recently replaced roof required careful handling. Following pre-installation approval from Metalcraft and Surf Life Saving New Zealand, the mounting system was installed using fixings aligned to existing roof penetration points, avoiding any additional penetrations and preserving the roofing warranty in full.

The outcome well and truly exceeded expectations:

— Ange Moore, Club Manager, Red Beach Surf Lifesaving Club

The installation process reflected everything the partnership set out to achieve: technical excellence, community impact and industry leadership.

For the club, the project delivered more than a solar system. It delivered confidence, certainty and a lasting partnership with two Kiwi organisations genuinely committed to community success.

The system’s impact extends well beyond the club’s power bill. Forecast to avoid 19,100kg of coal and 16,806 litres of petrol annually, it delivers the equivalent of planting 1,012 trees every year — a meaningful contribution for an organisation built on protecting the community and coastline it serves.

A PV monitoring platform gives the club real-time visibility of generation, flagging any decline in performance, including salt film accumulation on the panels.

Red Beach Surf Lifesaving Club — 73 years of volunteer-led service, 205 senior members, 443 junior surfers — could not have funded this independently. Through a structured Community Energy Infrastructure Partnership, Entelar Energy and Trilect Solar have delivered a high-quality, right-sized solar system that puts the club’s resources back where they truly belong.

Equally importantly, the project has produced a replicable model already earmarked for expansion across New Zealand’s 70+ surf lifesaving clubs — where renewable energy reduces operating costs, strengthens community organisations, helps develop young electrical talent, and allows more resources to be focused on what matters most: saving lives.