Sunergise buys Infratec from WEL Networks to add utility-scale solar and batteries

Solar installer Sunergise has agreed to buy Infratec New Zealand from WEL Networks, adding utility-scale solar and battery storage to its commercial rooftop business.

Wellington-based Infratec develops, designs, engineers and builds solar PV and battery energy storage systems. It has built 194MW of solar and deployed 49MWh of battery storage, with projects including Te Herenga o Te Rā solar farm and New Plymouth Airport Solar. Its clients include Transpower and Alpine Energy.

Founded in 2012, Sunergise has installed more than 50MW of solar across New Zealand and the Pacific and completed more than 200 commercial projects, including the 5.3MW rooftop at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, which it says is New Zealand’s largest, and the 2.3MW Mānawa Bay installation.

Sunergise says the combined business can develop, finance, build and maintain solar projects for commercial, industrial and utility-scale customers.

“New Zealand’s and the Pacific’s renewable energy transition requires investment at every scale: commercial rooftops and large-scale generation. Together we can meet that demand. Our offerings are fully complementary, and we now have the skills, experience and capacity to deliver the full spectrum of services to help expedite that much-needed transition,” says Sunergise chief executive Paul Makumbe.

“Infratec has a technical record that speaks for itself: 194 megawatts built, 49 megawatt-hours of battery storage deployed, and a client list that includes some of New Zealand’s largest infrastructure operators. Combined with Sunergise’s commercial solar depth and Pacific reach, this is a genuinely compelling offer for clients who need more than a single-service provider.”

The two companies have worked together before. From 2020 they delivered five renewable energy plants across Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau. Sunergise also operates in the Pacific through Fiji-based Clay Energy, which it bought from Todd’s Pacific solar operations earlier this year.

WEL Networks, the Waikato lines company, is selling Infratec to focus on its core network and infrastructure business. Existing contracts and service commitments at both companies continue.

The Sunergise Group now comprises Sunergise, PowerSmart, Clay Energy and Infratec. No price has been given.