The Solar Farms

Lodestone Energy is leading the development of New Zealand’s largest ever solar project.

Lodestone’s solar farms will increase New Zealand’s solar production by eight times and act as one diversified power plant, reliably feeding electricity into local networks.

The farms are more than just a power station – they have been designed to support continued agricultural activities around the solar infrastructure.

This agrivoltaic approach allows the land to continue to be productive, with over 85% of baseline farming yield expected when the solar farm is operational.

With only the tracking system moving, solar farms have little or no audible impact on neighbours and will have a negligible impact on the surrounding environment. Solar energy production uses no water, creates no pollution, makes virtually no noise and releases zero emissions.

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Lodestone One

Lodestone One is a 120 GWh solar farm located near Dargaville. The farm will contain at least 125,000 panels and include 170 hectares of farming operations. Electricity produced by Lodestone One will be used by the 5,000 residents living along the Wairoa River, with surplus electricity flowing through to Whangarei. +
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Lodestone Two

Lodestone Two is our northern most farm, located near Kaitaia. A 55 GWh solar plant, Lodestone Two will have up to 60,000 solar panels and will supply electricity directly to a Top Energy substation, where it will help power the local mill. The project will also incorporate native replanting with just over 7 hectares of the property to be revegetated. +
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Lodestone Three

Lodestone Three is in the fertile Waiotahe Valley, east of Whakatane. The 85 GWh solar farm is in one of the sunniest locations in New Zealand and will contain up to 115,000 solar panels. Lodestone Three will complement Lodestone Four providing electricity to the greater Bay of Plenty. +
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Lodestone Four

Located near Edgecumbe, Lodestone Four is a 52 GWh solar plant. The farm will include up to 70,000 panels and will supply electricity to the 1,700 local residents, the local Fonterra dairy plant and other nearby commercial and industrial users. +
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Lodestone Five

Lodestone Five is near Whitianga, where seasonal demand for electricity closely follows the sun. This 54 GWh farm will have up to 80,000 solar panels and will likely utilise battery storage to help meet evening demand and improve the reliability of the growing network. +
400 GWh
Renewable Energy

The farms will deliver approximately 400 GWh of valuable daytime renewable energy to the New Zealand market.

50,000
Power for Homes

Our farms will generate enough power for 50,000 New Zealand homes – or the city the size of Hamilton.

ZERO
Emissions released

Solar farms use no water, create no pollution, make virtually no noise and release zero emissions.

2023
Lodestone Two

The first solar farm, Lodestone Two near Kaitaia, is expected to be operational in Q3 2023.