About My Business
Trading as Esolar, Solar Electric Technology Limited is a Nelson-based solar energy company with roots that go back further than most. Lance Double has been working in the solar industry since 2000 — long before rooftop solar was mainstream in New Zealand — and in 2009 he co-founded the business alongside a partner. In 2016 Lance bought out his partner and took full ownership, and two years later his wife Alex joined him, bringing a passion for design, marketing, and renewable energy that she'd built entirely through hands-on learning. Today, Esolar is a husband-and-wife-led company based in Appleby, Nelson, with a team of eight and a reputation built over 25 years in the industry. We design, supply, install, and support solar energy systems for homes, farms, businesses, and community buildings right across the top of the South Island. What makes us different is the range and depth of what we take on. We're just as at home helping a Nelson family reduce their power bill as we are designing a full off-grid system for a remote rural property or island location — technically complex projects that require real expertise and a genuine commitment to getting things right. From the start, Lance built the business on a foundation of quality — using equipment from suppliers he trusted, not just whatever was cheapest. We're proud to work with Fronius, one of the world's leading inverter manufacturers, and we choose our products carefully because we know they'll still be performing well a decade from now. Our clients deserve that. Alex brought an education-first approach to the way we talk to customers. Rather than leading with a sales pitch, we lead with information — explaining how solar works, what realistic returns look like, and whether it's actually the right fit for someone's situation. That honesty has built us a strong reputation, and most of our new work still comes through referrals from people who trusted us enough to recommend us to their friends and neighbors. After 16 years of trading, Esolar is still locally owned, still family-run, and still genuinely excited about what solar can do — for households, for businesses, and for the community we live and work in. Nelson and Tasman are wonderful places to harness the sun, and we feel fortunate to be the people who get to make that happen.
Why We Should Win The Peoples Choice Award
If you've ever had a solar system installed by Esolar, you already know why we deserve your vote. But if you haven't — here's why we'd love your support. We're Lance and Alex Double, a husband-and-wife team based in Appleby, Nelson. We're not a franchise. We're not a national chain with a call centre somewhere else. We're your neighbours — people who live and work in this region, whose kids go to school here, who shop at the same places you do. When you call Esolar, you get us. And when something needs sorting after your system is installed, we're still here. Lance has been in the solar industry since 2000 — back when telling someone you worked in solar in New Zealand was met with a blank stare. He's seen every twist and turn this industry has taken, and that experience is baked into every system we design. Alex joined the business in 2018 and has spent the years since building the kind of company she'd want to deal with as a customer — one that explains things clearly, doesn't oversell, and treats people like intelligent adults who deserve honest advice. Together, we've built a team of nine people who genuinely care about the work they do. We've installed over 4,000 solar energy systems across the top of the South Island. We've powered homes, farms, businesses, and community buildings. We've helped families cut their power bills and gain real energy independence. We've designed and installed off-grid systems in places the grid will never reach. And we've done it all while staying true to a simple principle: do the job properly, use quality gear, and look after the customer. We've won national awards — including multiple SEANZ industry awards, REC Partner of the Year three years running, and Fronius Partner of the Year — but honestly, the recognition that means the most to us comes from the people we've worked with. The referrals. The return customers. The messages that say "our power bill is finally under control." That's why we do this. The Nelson and Tasman region has been incredibly good to Esolar over the years, and we don't take that for granted. We're proud to be a local business, proud to be investing in local apprentices, and proud to be playing a small part in making this region more energy resilient — including solar installations at Tasman District Council community buildings and the Nelson Tasman Hospice. Voting for Esolar in the People's Choice isn't just a vote for a local business. It's a vote for the kind of business this community deserves — one that's honest, skilled, locally owned, and genuinely here for the long haul. We'd be honoured to have your support. Thank you.
