Elecnor is to build the largest solar farm in New Zealand
Tauhei Solar Park, with a capacity of 150 MW, will be the largest in the country and will produce clean energy for 35,000 homes
Harmony Energy Limited and First Renewables Limited have confirmed the financial close of the Tauhei Solar Park project, a 150-MW solar farm that will be the largest in the country. Construction will begin this year, which will represent a major step in the transition towards cleaner energy in New Zealand. Elecnor will be the company in charge of the design, supply and the actual construction of the farm, including a substation and an evacuation line.
Located on a 182-hectare plot near Te Aroha on North Island, this farm will have a capacity of 202 MWp when it becomes fully operational at the end of 2026. Its annual production is estimated to be 280 GWh, enough to provide electricity to over 35,000 houses, thereby contributing significantly to the decarbonisation of the country’s energy system.
Job creation
During the construction stage, which will span two years, the project will create around 350 jobs at its peak, as well as providing permanent employment opportunities once completed.
Financing for the project has come from a banking consortium, which includes ANZ, ASB, BNZ and MUFG Bank, while Meridian Energy has guaranteed the purchase of 100% of the output from the solar farm for its first ten years of operation.
Measures to conserve the environment
Apart from its energy contribution, the project includes measures aimed at environmental conservation, such as planting over 120,000 native plant species to preserve the region’s biodiversity. Likewise, the farm's design will allow for continued agricultural use of the land, replacing dairy farming with sheep farming, which will benefit from the shade and shelter provided by the solar panels.
Tauhei Solar Park will be connected to Transpower's 110-kV grid via the Waihou substation, which will ensure the integration of its production into the national supply. This project is being presented as model of how renewable energy can combine sustainable development, environmental protection and technological advances for the country’s benefit.