The Environmental Protection Authority has given Harmony Energy the green light on its plans to build a solar farm on the outskirts of Marton.
Applied for under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020, an independent panel approved the resource consent in August,165 working days after the application was lodged.
The project involves constructing and operating a solar farm on approximately 93 hectares of rural farmland to supply electricity to the national grid. It includes installing 28 power stations, two substations, a transformer and underground electricity cables.
The site, located on Pukepapa Road and Whales Line, is currently used for pastoral farming activities such as grazing of dry stock and seasonal cropping of maize.
The project is expected to generate about 87-130 direct fulltime jobs over a 12-18 month construction period and approximately five ongoing FTE jobs.
Upon completion, the solar farm will have an output of approximately 65 megawatts peak.
In 2022, the joint British-New Zealand venture received approval to develop a solar farm in Waikato, which will generate enough electricity to power 30,000 homes. The 147 megawatt solar farm is set to be installed on 182 hectares of a 260ha site at Te Aroha West, 140km south of Auckland.
At the time, Harmony Energy director, Pete Grogan, who is based in New Zealand, said: “We are thrilled this important renewable development can now proceed. Renewable energy is critical to mitigate the negative impact of climate change and help support New Zealand’s net zero ambition.
“One of the great advantages of solar power is that it accommodates dual use of land, allowing for energy generation alongside continued farming production, as will happen at Tauhei.
“This proposal creates opportunities for local businesses and employment and creates significant biodiversity gains. We will deliver an exceptional project that Waikato can be proud of.”
Harmony Energy has a pipeline of over 500 megawatt of projects planned across the country.
In July Farmers Weekly reported the government had approved the sale or lease of 2900ha to foreign investors for the construction of solar farms since July 2022.
In OIO decisions for 2023 and up to March this year, 16 applications were approved under the advertising-exempt provisions, covering the lease of 2636ha. A further two covering 127ha went through the normal OIO process.
Most are in the North Island and the area involved varies from 41ha at Edgecombe to 295ha at Christchurch International Airport.
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