The South Island’s largest solar farm has officially opened at Christchurch Airport, with around 300,000 panels expected to generate enough electricity each year to match the demand of 36,000 homes.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon opened the $273 million Kōwhai Park project on Thursday.

Developed through a joint venture between Contact Energy and Lightsource bp, the solar farm covers 230 hectares and has a generating capacity of 150 megawatts.

Its expected annual output is 275 gigawatt hours. Christchurch Airport and Synlait have agreements to buy electricity from the project, with Synlait taking 25 percent of generation for its Dunsandel and Dairyworks sites.

Christchurch Airport chief executive Justin Watson said the development reflected a wider ambition to establish a renewable energy precinct.

“Kōwhai Park shows what can happen when you think differently about how airport land can be used.”

Construction employed 235 people at its peak and involved 66 Canterbury businesses.

Contact Energy chief executive Mike Fuge said building renewable generation would help businesses switch to electricity and strengthen security of supply.

Kōwhai Park is Contact’s first completed solar farm. The company also has two consented sites in Taranaki and Northland through its partnership with Lightsource bp.

The airport announced Kōwhai Park in December 2021, with Contact and Lightsource bp named as development partners in February 2023. Commissioning began in August this year.