A $600 Million Solar Farm Planned For The Mackenzie Basin Will Power Up To 100,000 Homes

A $600 million solar farm planned for the Mackenzie Basin will power up to 100,000 homes. Far North Solar Farms Ltd has applied to build a 420MW solar farm — believed to the biggest in the country about 8km east of Twizel. Director Richard Homewood says the farm is in a sunny place, on flat land and a transmission line runs through the site which sends power to Christchurch and beyond. The proposal covers 968ha and would involve 736,866 solar panels stationed on 28,341 tables. The site is classified as Outstanding Natural Landscape under the district council plan and there in lies an issue with a resource consent application for a large solar farm in the Mackenzie Basin rejected, on ecological grounds just three weeks ago. Andrew and Karen Simpson, of Balmoral Station, near Lake Tekapo, wanted to operate an 88-megawatt solar farm on 113 hectares which would produce enough electricity to power up to 13,000 homes. The country’s largest solar farm, built on 80 hectares near central Kaitāia, started generating electricity last week – … and Hamilton Airport has flicked the switch on a solar energy farm on land just south of the airport terminal. The 5000sqm operation powers the refurbished airport terminal during daylight hours.