Another solar farm likely for Canterbury
The planned venture in Leeston would have 74,400 solar panels over 111ha.
This follows the power company launching a $104m solar farm with peak generation of 63 megawatts (MWp) at Lauriston, also in Canterbury, in a joint venture with FRV Australia last April.
More than 90,000 solar panels on the 93ha site are now generating up to 100 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity a year, enough to power nearly 13,000 households.
Leeston would potentially start generating 67MWp, up to 110GWh/pa in 2027.
This could become the company's third-largest solar farm behind proposals to also build more sites at Foxton (80MWp) and Edgecumbe (127MWp).
Genesis said Leeston could be built before the other two sites and all three of them are pending final investment decisions.
Unlike Lauriston, the power company plans to make the full investment in developing Leeston without FRV Australia.
Farmland would be leased for the project.
Chief operating officer Tracey Hickman said consents were in place for the project with designs progressing towards the final investment decision stage.
She said the project could be expected to serve the power needs of 15,700 households.
Genesis was committed to scaling up its solar generation, she said.
"To meet New Zealand's net zero 2050 target, 95% of electricity generation must come from renewable sources, up from 85% today.
"Solar is a good addition to New Zealand's generation mix and when it reaches scale it will play an important role in helping manage supply when hydro levels are low and the wind doesn't blow at windfarms."
She said the company's Gen35 strategy included a target to build 500MW of solar capacity throughout New Zealand.
"The Leeston site will be another step towards achieving that.
"Solar is also the perfect partner to the grid-scale battery we're installing at Huntly Power Station.
"We'll be able to store the equivalent energy generated by our solar farms during the day and release it at night when demand is high."
The Lauriston site is proving to be a successful solar farm, and the company appreciated the community support during its construction, she said.
"We're excited to progress the Leeston site and others we have in our pipeline around the country."
Genesis was continuing to make progress on the Edgecumbe development, lining up early engineering and main contracts as it headed towards a final investment decision later this year.
The solar farm has a targeted operational date of early to mid 2027.
The company's solar farm site in Foxton, near Palmerston North was accepted for inclusion under the Fast Track Approvals Act and would be presented for approval once due diligence was completed.
Many more solar farms throughout the country are on the drawing board, including Waikato's proposed Tauhei Solar Farm, near Te Aroha, between UK's Harmony Energy and First Renewables Limited of 202MWp.
Far North Solar Farm Limited has applied for a land use consent from Hurunui District Council to build a 181ha site in North Canterbury's Waipara.
Submissions will be accepted by residents until July 24 for the publicly notified proposal to put in 250,000 panels generating up to 145MWp, enough to power about 30,000 homes.
Further proposals by the company have included a 450MWp solar development on 670ha near Lake Benmore.
Among others, Helios Energy had put plans on hold to consider community feedback for 560,000 solar panels with the potential to power up to 70,000 homes at a solar farm between Naseby and Ranfurly in Central Otago on 660ha.
tim.cronshaw@odt.co.nz
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