Lodestone cleared to build three New Zealand PV parks

Solar developer and power producer Lodestone Energy has received consent for three projects on New Zealand’s South Island that will combine solar power generation with agricultural activities.

The Clandeboye, Mount Somers and Dunsandel plants are set to be installed between 2024 and 2026, the developer said recently. To be located in the Canterbury and South Canterbury regions, the photovoltaic (PV) arrays will be built under the second phase of Lodestone Energy’s partnership with HES Aotearoa, a joint venture of Britain’s Hive Energy, Ethical Power and Solar South West, to develop a pipeline of nine large-scale solar farms across New Zealand’s North and South islands.

The three South Island projects will be partly financed with a NZD-250-million (USD 152.9m/EUR 140.4m) credit facility extended by ANZ Bank New Zealand Ltd.

The construction of the remaining plants under the initial phase of the programme is due to begin this year. Lodestone Energy said it is exploring several additional projects that will be included in the second phase throughout 2024.

(NZD 1.0 = USD 0.612/EUR 0.562)

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