Lodestone Energy starts next utility-scale solar site

A ground-breaking ceremony in Waiotahe has marked the start of construction of Lodestone Energy’s third and largest utility-scale solar farm.

The 30MW farm bordering the Waiotahe River in the Opotiki District will generate 69GWh of power annually from more than 70,000 solar panels – enough to supply at least 9500 homes and small businesses.

Lodestone will again be implementing an agri-voltaic design at the Waiotahe farm, maximising the generation of electricity while maintaining productive farming activity. Working with local iwi, Lodestone has also created a native planting plan that provides for a build that blends in with the landscape.

“Our mission is to provide consumers with renewable power solutions to meet their sustainability targets while giving them long term economic certainty,” says Lodestone Energy managing director Gary Holden.

“As we build out more solar farms we can offer this to more customers nationwide.”

The Waiotahe solar farm is earmarked for residential and commercial energy consumers; most notably The Warehouse Group which has signed up all its stores to Lodestone’s phase one portfolio.

Its first utility scale solar farm was recently commissioned in Kaitaia and its Edgecumbe farm is due for completion in early 2024.

Working closely with local iwi and stakeholders, as well as construction partners Infratec and New Energy by Drillco, Lodestone aims to bring employment opportunities.

“At our Edgecumbe solar farm we were really pleased to be able to recruit approximately 80% of our mechanical team locally and we are looking to replicate this for our Waiotahe project,” says Holden.

“Some of the team from our Edgecumbe project are also being brought on to help with construction at Waiotahe as we want to leverage their skills and experiences to help deliver this project.”

Whitianga and Dargaville are planned for construction in 2024 and 2025.

Phase one projects are financed by Westpac New Zealand, IFM and NZGIF.

Lodestone plans a second phase of utility-scale solar projects.