Electric vehicles kept pharmacy running for days after Cyclone Gabrielle

The battery from a Nissan Leaf electric vehicle powered Gees Pharmacy for days after Cyclone Gabrielle.

A Taradale pharmacy hit by the widespread outage after Cyclone Gabrielle was able to stay operating for three days until power was restored, thanks to two electric vehicles, local expertise and strong community spirit.

Gees Pharmacy owner Chris Marshall says he couldn’t get hold of a diesel generator after losing power, meaning he had no way to access his dispensary database and supply medication to customers.

“Pharmacies are essential services. We have a number of medically dependent people in the area, so we had to find a way to get back up and running quickly,” Chris says.

After an evacuation alert saw local residents gather on nearby Sugarloaf Hill, Marshall met his friend Steve Charles, who owned an EV and had been using it to power his home. The pair decided to connect the vehicle to the pharmacy, and by the next morning, Marshall was back in business.

“Once we had the dispensary computer going, we were flat-out. Te Whatu Ora had an emergency system in place allowing people to collect medications from any pharmacy that was open. With generators in short supply, we were able to help them out, so they were really appreciative,” Chris says.

Steve maintained a detailed charging log which showed his 30kW/h Nissan Leaf was at 83 per cent when the cyclone and outage hit; at 64 per cent when he arrived at the pharmacy at 7.30am the following morning; and at 60 per cent when he left three hours later. He then continued to power his appliances until midnight, with his battery dropping to 42 per cent.

With limited charge left, another energy source was needed to keep the pharmacy operating. Steve says his partner had spotted another Leaf in the neighbourhood, and together they were able to track down the driver, Lloyd Clark, an environmental and sustainability manager at Meridian Energy.

Clark’s Leaf had 81 per cent capacity when first connected to the pharmacy, and dropped to 76 per cent by 11.30am. The following day it was used to power the pharmacy for a further two hours, dropping to 57 per cent.

The EVs continued to be moved and swapped around, powering the pharmacy, the fridge and broadband at Steve’s home, as well as a fridge at a neighbouring property. By the morning of February 18, Steve’s Leaf was down to just 5 per cent when a back-up solar system at the pharmacy came online and allowed him to recharge.

Steve says solar system gave the group enough power to keep critical appliances running until mains power was restored in the area on February 21 and the EVs were pressed back into their regular service.

“All we had were two Nissan Leafs, one 12V inverter and some extension leads. But with good co-ordination, we managed to keep the pharmacy going, as well as the basics back home.

“The whole experience proves the value of having electric vehicles on-hand when a natural disaster like Gabrielle hits,” Steve says.

Meridian’s head of energy solutions Ryan Kuggeleijn says V2L, or “vehicle to load” technology, represents an enormous opportunity to build resilience during emergencies.

“A certified and qualified person can quite easily connect an EV battery in situations like Cyclone Gabrielle. The case of the Taradale pharmacy really highlights the value of this technology, once it goes mainstream,” he says.