Lodestone Energy, New Zealand’s leading solar generation company, has started construction on its fourth North Island utility-scale solar farm near Whitianga, marking a major milestone in the company’s ongoing commitment to deliver new renewable energy at pace.
On Friday, iwi, local dignitaries and community members participated in a ground-breaking ceremony to commemorate the start of the project. The site was opened with a blessing led by Joe Davis, kaumatua of Ngati Hei ki Wharekaho. Later, Hon Scott Simpson, MP for Coromandel, James Kilty, Chief Executive of Powerco and Gary Holden, Managing Director of Lodestone, marked the occasion by planting native trees on the site.
Once operational, Lodestone’s Whitianga solar farm will generate about 50 GWh of clean renewable energy each year – enough electricity to power more than 6,800 households. The site will have more than 53,000 solar panels supported by 7,150 piles. Construction is slated for completion by November 2025.
The Whitianga project includes a unique partnership with the local electricity network operator, Powerco, who is building a new substation on the same site. The new infrastructure will deliver significant value to the Coromandel region by injecting low-cost renewable electricity, improving local energy resilience and adding capacity for future growth on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Gary Holden, Managing Director of Lodestone Energy, says “Starting construction on our fourth North Island solar farm continues to deliver on our strategy to develop a diverse spread of regional solar resources to serve the needs of customers across New Zealand. The challenges seen in the energy market in recent months are a testament to the need for new, clean, affordable energy supply and we are continuing to bring this to market at pace.”
On the site, which was previously a dairy farm, Lodestone is again using an agrivoltaic design to maximise electricity generation while preserving the farm’s productive land. Setting the panels widely apart and high above the ground allows machinery to operate and sheep grazing or horticultural activities to continue around them.
Lodestone is already securing commercial customers for the Whitianga farm through its first-to-market ‘Virtual Rooftop Solution’, an increasingly attractive proposition in today’s volatile energy market.
“Customers who contract capacity from the farms stand to gain a lot. They will benefit from long-term price stability and the sought-after sustainability credentials that come when adopting certified 100% renewable energy,” says Holden.
Whitianga is Lodestone Energy’s fourth farm in its Phase 1 programme and follows solar farms near Kaitaia, Edgecumbe and Waiotahe. Further sites in Dargaville, Manawatu and Canterbury are set to commence construction starting in 2025. Lodestone Energy has plans for a total of 18 utility-scale solar projects across Aotearoa, New Zealand, with the addition of its Phase 2 and Phase 3 development plans.
