Lodestone 220MV South Island solar farm planned

Lodestone Energy will run a 220MW solar farm at Haldon Station in the South Island’s Mackenzie District, intending to start construction next year.

Haldon Station has been owned by the Klisser family for more than 30 years and covers at least 22,000 hectares of which 340ha (1.5% of the station) of non-productive land will be used for the solar farm.

The partners (Lodestone and Haldon Station) also believe there is an opportunity for meaningful ecological restoration during the 70-year period that the solar farm could be operating.

“We believe from research, and observation on other well-planned developments on the property, that the partial shade and shelter from the panels, will result in a beneficial effect on the lands below and will result in revegetation of the original native fauna and flora,” says Haldon Station farm manger Paddy Boyd.

“The station is planning for the area to be ring fenced with rabbit netting and totally destocked to allow for full regeneration of the natural grasses.”

Haldon Station has spent several years investigating ways to reduce net emissions along with options to utilise this non-productive area and identified Lodestone as the ideal partner.

Lodestone Energy managing director Gary Holden says that by diversifying production and expanding into the South Island it’s helping meet customers’ needs, giving them an alternative power option and playing a key role in meeting zero carbon goals.

The solar farm will produce 340GWh annually at full capacity, enough to power nearly 50,000 homes.

Haldon Station is the fourth solar farm to be confirmed in Lodestone’s Phase 2 programme, with sites in Clandeboye, Mount Somers, and Dunsandel confirmed in January 2024.

Lodestone’s Phase 2 solar programme will be funded by a recently announced capital raise.

Two North Island solar farms generating electricity through Lodestone are Kohirā and Rangitaiki, with three additional North Island projects under planning or construction.