Renewable vitality is surging forward in Mid Canterbury, with a second solar energy technology website deliberate close to Mount Somers.
Solar energy technology firm Lodestone Vitality plans to diversify its photo voltaic provide with three new photo voltaic websites within the wider Canterbury space – together with one on Tramway Highway close to Mount Somers.
The announcement of the Mount Somers website comes because the early phases of development kick off on Mid Canterbury’s first large-scale photo voltaic farm in Lauriston – a three way partnership between Genesis Vitality and FRV Australia
Lodestone Vitality has partnered with HES Aotearoa Restricted, a three way partnership between three worldwide vitality technology firms, to develop the three websites in Canterbury and an extra six throughout New Zealand.
HES Aotearoa has the required consents from the Ashburton District Council and Atmosphere Canterbury to transform a 35-hectare space of comparatively unproductive farmland to solar energy technology, with sheep grazing below the photo voltaic panels.
Lodestone buyer common supervisor Sarah McHardy mentioned development on the Mount Somers farm is deliberate to start out within the latter a part of this yr.
McHardy mentioned as soon as dwell, the farm would connect with the Mount Somers substation and feed into the native Ashburton energy community.
She anticipated it will roughly a yr from begin of development to supplying energy to the grid.
The opposite two Canterbury websites are in Dunsandel and Clandeboye close to Temuka.
The 100-hectare block Dunsandel leased to HES Aotearoa will produce 80 gwh per yr and would additionally mix photo voltaic technology with farming exercise for a extra environment friendly use of the land.
The Canterbury farms shall be partly-funded by a $250-million debt facility. They are going to provide a mixed 150 GWh per yr as soon as operational.
Lodestone Vitality has one dwell solar energy website at Kaitaia that began producing electrical energy in late 2023, a second website in Edgecumbe near completion, and third website in Waiotahe within the early phases of development.
Development on two additional North Island websites in Whitianga and Dargaville is because of begin this yr.
By Sharon Davis