Property owners seek large-scale solar power to revitalize land – pv magazine International

July 2, 2024 David Carroll

From pv magazine Australia

Lodestone Energy is to partner with the owners of Haldon Station in New Zealand to build and operate a 220MW solar farm.

The Haldon Station solar farm will be built on a 340ha site that the landowners say has suffered from significant wind erosion due to drought and pest infiltration. The project partners are confident the solar installation will provide significant ecological restoration.

Haldon Station Farm Manager Paddy Boyd said the owners had been looking for some years to develop the unproductive area and also to find ways to reduce net emissions from the station.

“Based on research and observations of other well-planned developments on the site, we believe the partial shade and cover provided by the panels will benefit the areas below and lead to the revival of original native fauna and flora,” he said.

“The station plans to fence the area with rabbit netting and completely clear it of livestock to allow full regeneration of the natural grasses.”

The benefits of agrivoltaic installations continue to gain evidence, with new research showing that one of the main benefits is the microclimate created under the solar panels, which ensures improved grass and forage production.

Construction of the Haldon Station solar farm is scheduled to begin in 2025. The plant is expected to generate 340 GWh of clean energy per year, enough to power almost 50,000 homes.

The 220MW project will be Lodestone’s largest to date and continues its expansion into the South Island as the company continues to build out its solar portfolio.

“There is increasing demand from commercial customers for 100% renewable energy, helping the country move towards a zero carbon future,” said Gary Holden, Lodestone Managing Director. “By diversifying our production and expanding into the South Island, we are helping to meet the needs of our customers by providing them with an alternative power option and playing a key role in achieving their zero carbon goals. In addition, we can support Haldon Station in achieving its goals through restoration support.”

Haldon Station is the fourth solar farm to be built on the South Island. Earlier this year, Lodestone announced the locations for the 24MW Clandeboye, 15MW Mount Somers and 72MW Dunsandel solar farms.

The company already operates two solar farms in the North Island, including the 33MW Kohirā farm near Kaitaia in the Far North and the 32MW Rangitaiki farm at Edgecombe in the Bay of Plenty.

Lodestone has three additional projects in the North Island currently under planning or construction. The 42MW Te Herenga o Te Rā solar farm near Waiotahe in the Bay of Plenty is due to come online later this year, while Lodestone is also developing a 32MW solar farm near Whitianga and a further 52MW project at Dargaville, both in Northland.

Lodestone said each of the solar farms has been designed to allow cattle to graze and crops to grow around and under the solar infrastructure, maximising New Zealand’s renewable energy production in the most sustainable way possible.

The company said that with this approach, the land will remain productive and once the solar farms are operational, yields are expected to be more than 85% of the baseline yield.