News

A Genesis - FRV Australia joint venture has acquired its first New Zealand large scale solar farm project, the 52 MW Lauriston Solar Farm located one hour’s drive south of Christchurch in Ashburton District Council on the South Island.

The fully consented Lauriston Solar Farm will consist of approximately 80,000 solar panels installed on a 90-hectare site and will connect into the local lines network through an agreement with EA Networks, a locally owned co-operative network company that owns and operates Mid Canterbury’s electricity distribution network.

Plans by the original developer, Hive Energy subsidiary HES Aotearoa, included a single metered substation and up to 70 banks of batteries for storage.

The project is expected to create more than 50 jobs during the construction phase and employ up to three full time staff when operational. It’s expected construction will begin later this year.

New owner Genesis Energy said Lauriston Solar Farm was “among the most advanced large scale solar generation sites in the country being fully consented, with advanced grid connection approvals and ready for the installation of panels to begin”.

“There have been lots of solar announcements but not many have the land, consents and grid connections in place”, said interim Chief Executive Tracey Hickman.

New Zealand-based utility Genesis Energy announced its selection of FRV Australia as a joint venture development partner in November 2021, as part of its strategy to deliver up to 500 MW of solar capacity over the next five years.

The Lauriston acquisition by two major energy players signals a step up for the utility-scale solar farm industry in New Zealand.

So far the New Zealand industry has attracted smaller local companies and foreign developers such as UK-based Harmony Energy and Hive Energy, which also has the 53 MW Helensville Solar Farm in the North Island and 50 MW Dunsandel Solar Farm in the South Island, plus other less developed projects, on the go.

AltEnergy is aware of more major industry participants turning their attention towards New Zealand including development and supply/equipment companies, about which there will be news soon.

AltEnergy (www.altenergy.com.au) is tracking 19 utility-scale solar farm projects of 10 MW or greater capacity across Aotearoa, and this number is likely to continue its growth from 2022.

In Australia FRV has 19 projects in its Australia portfolio, including six generating solar farms and two large battery proposals. FRV is 51% owned by Abdul Latif Jameel Energy and 49% by OMERS Infrastructure.