DIY power supply being sold in Nelson

An alternative power system sparked by a fig-growing venture in Portugal is starting to bear fruit in Nelson.

South Africans Nick and Carolyn Tones, who settled in Nelson 18 months ago, have begun selling a stand-alone energy system.

The system, nicknamed the Gonooble, harnesses wind and solar energy to produce electricity.

It can be configured to suit different-sized homes and businesses, with the biggest system capable of supplying electricity to up to 50 homes.

The Tones got the idea for the Gonooble after moving to Portugal more than a decade ago and deciding to grow fig trees on a remote property.

The huge cost of hooking up to the national electricity grid prompted them to devise a solar energy-based power system, to supply the home and irrigation equipment.