The largest solar farm in New Zealand will soon be built on a former dairy farm. The 900,000 solar panels in the proposed design are enough to power about 100,000 homes.
The solar power station with 400MW capacity near TaupÅ has received resource consent; once completed, it will be able to power about 100,000 homes.
900,000 Solar Panels from 2600 Cows
Approximately 35 kilometers east of TaupÅ on State Highway 5, Todd Generation, through its subsidiary Nova Energy, submitted a request for permission to convert an existing 1022-hectare dairy farm into a solar farm in May of this year.
Nearly 900,000 solar panels would be installed ground-mounted at the proposed solar farm across from the RangitÄiki Tavern, along with the necessary hardware to transmit power to the national grid.
This would be done in three stages, phasing out dairy farm operations as work progresses, and over five years.
Approximately 2600 cattle are currently kept on the property, along with other farming equipment like milking parlors and effluent management systems.
On the property, nine existing homes are used as farmworker housing.
Renewable Energy Efforts
The landmark decision, according to Babu Bahirathan, chief executive of Nova Energy, was a step toward increasing Nova's renewable energy generation portfolio and a crucial step toward New Zealand meeting its emission reduction and climate change goals.
After opening its 2.1 MW Kapuni Solar Power Plant in South Taranaki in 2021, Nova Energy began investing in solar energy.
The proposed solar farm at RangitÄiki, with 400 MW consented, is now New Zealand's largest consented solar project that is connected to the grid, PV Magazine reports.
According to Bahirathan, the project's development pathway is currently being evaluated, and part of that process entails working with an expert contractor to help construct a high-quality power plant as well as navigating the effects of the current economy on resource availability, exchange rates, and supply chains.
The first stage of the RangitÄiki solar farm proposes to construct and connect to the national grid with up to 150MW of capacity within the following two years, subject to final investment decisions.
According to Bahirathan, the project would generate hundreds of construction jobs locally and beneficial training opportunities in the rapidly growing solar industry.
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Solar Energy Farming Concerns
Four submissions for the proposal were received, according to William (Bill) Wasley's decision: one in support, two neutral, and one opposed. Wasley is an independent commissioner for the Resource Management Act.
Federated Farmers New Zealand expressed concern over the loss of productive farmland in the area and noted that this could have a negative impact on rural residents' social, economic, and cultural well-being.
Additionally, it was concerned about the longevity and recyclable nature of solar panels as well as their potential to release toxins into groundwater supplies.
Federated Farmers asserted that it does support the expansion of local power supplies and the production of renewable electricity.
According to Nova Energy, its solar panels are not anticipated to leach chemicals and can be fully recycled along with copper cables and support structures. Moreover, solar panel recycling is anticipated to have a recovery rate of 95%, Stuff reports.
Wasley said in his decision that the proposal does, however, have a lot of positive effects because it involves the retirement of dairy farm operations, the restoration as well as revegetation of riparian habitats, and the generation of electricity from solar resources, according to SolarQuotes.
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