Construction of one of New Zealand’s largest solar farms has reached a key milestone, with the first row of solar panels now installed at Kōwhai Park near Christchurch Airport.
Known in the energy industry as the “Golden Row,” the installation marks a significant step forward in the delivery of the 168 megawatt solar farm, which will eventually generate enough renewable electricity to power more than 36,000 homes.
The project is a partnership between Lightsource bp, Contact Energy and Christchurch Airport. It is being built on 230 hectares of airport land and is part of a wider goal to support the country’s move towards a low-emissions economy.
Christchurch Airport Chief Executive Justin Watson said the milestone was a sign of things to come.
“The solar farm brings our vision to life, using airport land in new ways to support a low-emissions future for our region. We’re excited to hit this milestone, which marks another step towards a cleaner energy future,” he said.
Christchurch Airport Chief Executive Justin Watson
Contact Energy Chief Executive Mike Fuge said the progress showed how effective partnerships could accelerate the transition to renewables.
“This is the first solar farm as part of our joint venture with Lightsource bp. It demonstrates the impact that can be achieved through effective, strategic collaboration,” he said.
Lightsource bp’s Asia-Pacific Chief Operating Officer Adam Pegg said, “This is a significant moment for our team and our partners. It’s a great example of what can be achieved when industry leaders come together with a shared focus on delivering practical, long-term solutions for decarbonisation.”
The completion of the Golden Row also means construction crews can now scale up installation across the site, repeating the process thousands of times with quality and safety processes in place.
