Scanpower opens doors for collaboration with solar power company at Oringi

Kaumatua Manahi Paewai talking of the history of the land at Oringi Business Park. Photo / Leanne Warr

A project looking at renewable energy sources is closer to fruition with the proverbial "turning of the sod".

Solar power company Tu Mai Ra Energy is collaborating with Scanpower in the project which was first posited four years ago.

Eketahuna company, Lumina Ltd was also one of the partners involved in the project.

Tu Mai Ra Energy director Richard Jones said he met with executives at Scanpower and discussed ideas for setting up the solar power company.

Matiu Taurau and Richard Jones believe Tu Mai Ra Energy is gaining traction. Photo / Leanne Warr

"Now we've come back and we're a fully fledged solar business."

Kaumātua Manahi Paewai performed the karakia to bless the project just before sunrise on Monday morning at Oringi Scanpower Business Park.

The karakia was to call upon the Atua to give long term success to the installation and implementation of the project.

Matua Manahi said the blessing was akin to the turning of the sod in western culture and that it was appropriate to mark the beginning of the project at that time.

He spoke of the history of the land and its relationship to the Rangitane.

Jones said the genesis of them getting into solar energy started in 2017 when Tu Mai Ra Investments came into being.

He said the investment company was the asset holding company for Rangitane.

"We're pleased to say that we've got six of us from Rangitane involved in this company."

Jones told guests that the company had employed all Māori.

"These are high value, high-quality jobs that we're generating - electricians, designers, engineers."

He said they were bringing on young people as their next wave, next generation.

The company also had some network partners, including Coyote Electrical.

General manager Matiu Taurau said the company was building its business.

He said it had started off doing a single house install and was now doing a thousand panel install.

"To go from eight panels to a thousand in two years is pretty exciting for us."

The company had several projects, including a marae and solar farms in the works, Taurau said.

"The way the power prices are going at the moment, solar just stacks up all the other benefits.

"We think this company's got a long way to go in terms of our growth and it's really exciting to be part of it."

Scanpower chairman Allan Benbow said the more the energy company moved into renewable energy, the better. Photo / Leanne Warr

Scanpower chairman Allan Benbow said the site was special as there had been a lot of jobs and a lot of money invested.

"It is exciting for us to be moving into renewable energy."

He said clean water and a good supply of food was at the core of a good life.

"The more we can move into renewable energy and the quicker, the better.

"It's a little step along the way to producing power from something other than coal."

Mayor Tracey Collis, speaking after the blessing, said it was a perfect morning to launch something so exciting in Tamaki Nui a Rua. Photo / Leanne Warr

Tararua District mayor Tracey Collis said Scanpower was a business that the people of Dannevirke were really proud of.

"For me, this project started out right and it's got every making of success here."

She said it was great to see Scanpower and Tu Mai Ra Energy lead the way in renewable energy.

Callum Skeet of Lumina Ltd said it was about passing on knowledge. Photo / Leanne Warr

Callum Skeet of Lumina Ltd said it was pretty exciting from his perspective.

"My role has been to design the system and then work ... on the costings and now I'm project managing it."

He said he'd worked with Coyote Electrical for a number of years and they were the perfect choice to help and pass on their knowledge to the next generation of solar installers.

"Our role is about passing on that knowledge and helping Tu Mai Ra to prosper."