The proposed solar farm would be on land belonging to three families, at Taylors Rd, Ongaonga.
The proposed solar farm would be on land belonging to three families, at Taylors Rd, Ongaonga.
Just months after plans for a solar power farm at Ongaonga in Central Hawke’s Bay hit headlines when a shareholder of the project was put into liquidation, a new developer has revealed plans for a second solar farm, also in Ongaonga.
The first solar farm is still going ahead, Kahahakuri Ltd company director Tony Woods says. “The project hasn’t been delayed and is working its way through the normal procedural steps required to connect to the grid.”
Now a second company has identified Ongaonga as ideal for generating solar energy.
Solar developer Helios Energy has confirmed plans to seek resource consent for a 100-megawatt solar farm on farmland at Taylors Rd, near Ongaonga.
Helios co-founder and managing director Jeff Schlichting says Central Hawke’s Bay has a very strong solar resource and is well-suited to grid-scale solar development.
“The planned development is sited on 240 hectares of land south of Taylors Rd. The land is leased from three farming families and will generate enough clean, renewable electricity to power the equivalent of 29,000 homes annually while providing diversification of farming operations,” Schlichting says.
A development of this scale represents an investment of more than $150 million, he says. Once the project reaches shovel-ready stage, construction would be completed in approximately 12 months.
The proposed solar farm will connect into the Transpower grid at the Waipawa substation.
“We have selected a low-lying site with a minimal visual impact on the surrounding area. The land is unirrigated farmland. Large-scale photovoltaic [PV] solar is the lowest-impact and, globally, the lowest-cost form of energy,” Schlichting says.
Solar developer Helios Energy has confirmed plans to seek resource consent for a 100-megawatt solar farm.
Once developed, Schlichting says, the site will be silent and not readily visible to the majority of passers-by. The panels are low-lying with a maximum height of 2.8 metres, and the site will be screened with boundary planting. A detailed planting plan will be developed, incorporating local feedback.
“The development will produce no emissions, have no impact on soil or water, and can be rapidly decommissioned at the end of its useful life, allowing the land to be returned to its previous state,” he said.
“In choosing to lease rather than acquire the property, Helios ensures that it stays in local ownership. The land will remain in agricultural production, with the ground under and around the panels continuing to be grazed by sheep.
“Solar grazing has been employed in the UK for at least a decade and since then, it has been successfully introduced in many countries across Europe, the Americas, and Australia. The dual use of a property for solar energy generation and grazing is an opportunity for renewable energy companies and property owners to work together and maximise the productive use of rural land, reducing operating costs for all parties.”
Schlichting says Helios is committed to a transparent consenting process and to engaging openly with the local community.
“Helios is developing grid-scale solar projects that make a positive contribution to Aotearoa’s economy, clean energy generation and climate change commitments.
“Helios has a development pipeline of approximately one gigawatt across the country, and a senior team with extensive experience in the development of renewable power generation projects throughout North America, the United Kingdom, Asia and New Zealand. In the construction phase, local contractors and suppliers will be used wherever possible.
“This project can be developed while respecting mana whenua and protecting both ecological and rural amenity values. Responsible grid-scale solar projects like this are essential if we are to cut emissions, meet our national climate change commitments, and power Aotearoa New Zealand’s economy.”
Leaflets went out to residences around Ongaonga last week, detailing the plans for the development and inviting the community to a drop-in session between 3pm and 7pm on August 23 at the Ongaonga Community Hall.
