Kohirā Solar Farm
| Kohirā | |
|---|---|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Location | Far North District |
| Coordinates | 35°4′54″S 173°13′10″E / 35.08167°S 173.21944°E |
| Status | Operating |
| Owner | Lodestone Energy |
| Solar farm | |
| Type | Flat-panel PV |
| Solar tracker | Single-axis |
| Site area | 20.5 ha |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity | 23.7 MW AC (33.3 MW DC) |
| Annual net output | 56 GWh |
The Kohirā solar farm is a photovoltaic power station near Kaitaia in the Far North District of New Zealand. The farm is owned by Lodestone Energy.[1] The farm generates 56 GWh of electricity a year, with a nameplate capacity of 33.3 MWp DC and 23.7 MW AC.[2]
The farm uses elevated racks, allowing the area underneath the panels to be used for sheep pasture.[3][4]
Construction of the farm began in December 2022.[5] It generated its first electricity in November 2023.[6][7] It began transmitting electricity to the grid in February 2024.[8][9][10] As the first solar farm in New Zealand to exceed 10 MW, Kohirā was also the first solar farm required to participate in the wholesale electricity market.[11]
The farm was gifted the name "Kohirā" ("suncatcher") by local iwi Te Rarawa.[12]
See also
References
- ↑ "The Solar Farms". Lodestone Energy. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Kaitaia Kohira BraveTrace NZECS electricity production device info sheet" (PDF). BraveTrace. May 2026. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
- ↑ "Huge solar farm leaves room for livestock". FedsNews. 20 April 2021. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Agrivoltaics tested at Northland solar farm". RNZ. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ↑ "NZ's biggest solar farm due to power up Kaitaia next year". New Zealand Herald. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ↑ "Lodestone, Eastland's new solar power projects switched on, generating electricity". New Zealand Herald. 24 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ↑ "New Zealand's largest solar farm near Kaitāia has started to generate electricity". New Zealand Herald. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
- ↑ "Electricity from massive Kaitāia solar farm powering stores nationwide". New Zealand Herald. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ↑ "Lodestone Energy's solar farm in Kaitāia starts powering national grid". New Zealand Herald. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ↑ "Sun, sheep and power: NZ's first utility-scale solar farm". One News. 29 February 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ↑ "Let the sun shine!". Electricity Authority. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
- ↑ "Northland could be solar farm hotspot". New Zealand Herald. 13 March 2024. Retrieved 14 March 2024.