Partnership delivers third agrivoltaics project, supporting dual use of land for solar energy generation and future sheep grazing in north island location
Trinasolar, a global smart photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage solutions provider, has partnered with Lodestone Energy to bring Te Herenga o Te Rā, one of New Zealand’s latest and largest agrivoltaics farm, into operation this year. Once fully operational, the 42MWp farm will generate 69 GWh of clean energy annually, enough to power nearly 10,000 homes, and is the first solar project in New Zealand to feed directly into the grid.
Situated along the border of the Waiotahe River in the Ōpōtiki District, the converted dairy farm will deliver clean renewable energy to the region while preserving the land’s agricultural value for sheep grazing under the modules.
Construction of the 71,000+ module utility-scale solar farm began in December 2023 and achieved first generation in December 2024, with the project’s construction progressing faster than anticipated. This was due, in part, to the ongoing partnership between module supplier, Trinasolar and Lodestone. As the third agrivoltaics project developed together, ongoing collaboration enabled the refinement of construction processes. Incremental improvements in small and repetitive installation tasks translated to large efficiencies at scale—significantly accelerating the construction schedule.
This project builds on the longstanding partnership between Lodestone Energy and Trinasolar, which has now seen nearly 200,000 Trinasolar modules deployed across Lodestone’s three operational solar farms in Kaitaia, Edgecumbe and the latest in Waitaohe.
Globally, interest in agrivoltaics is accelerating, and Lodestone is at the forefront of delivering large-scale, dual-use projects. Their work is setting a benchmark for agrivoltaics initiatives worldwide, and we’re excited to be part of their journey.”
Gary Holden, Managing Director, Lodestone Energy, recognises the value of strong partners, “Ultimately, Trinasolar’s Vertex N modules were the natural choice, offering superior efficiency and power. When delivering projects at scale, this efficiency becomes even more critical, ensuring we maximise energy output while maintaining reliability. The n-type i-TOPCon technology also enhances longevity, aligning with our commitment to building durable, high-performing solar farms.
With Te Herenga o Te Rā, our largest solar farm yet, we’ve continued to strengthen our partnerships. Trinasolar’s high-quality modules, robust supply chain, and on-ground support have been instrumental in making this project a success—our third collaboration with them.
With these three projects at full generation, we can power around 25,000 Kiwi homes each year,” Holden said. To complete the project, Lodestone Energy plans to reinstate the necessary infrastructure to support livestock, including new yards and fencing, before welcoming the next grazing lessee to Te Herenga o Te Rā later this year. Together with Lodestone Energy, Trinasolar is contributing to New Zealand’s zero-carbon targets while setting global standards for agrivoltaics.
