Work has officially started on what will be New Zealand’s largest approved solar farm, located between Taupō and Napier.
Te Rahui solar farm is set to become a prominent feature alongside State Highway 5. The project is a joint development between Nova Energy, owned by Todd Corporation, and Meridian Energy.
Te Rahui solar farm is being built across roughly 800 hectares of farmland, directly opposite the Rangitāiki Tavern, around a 30-minute drive from Taupō.
The development will be delivered in two stages and, once fully completed, will feature more than 700,000 solar panels. At full capacity, it is expected to generate around 400MW of electricity, enough to power approximately 100,000 homes.
Work on the first stage of Te Rahui solar farm is expected to continue through to 2027.
The second stage is planned to follow, with completion potentially by 2030, bringing the project to full scale once both phases are finished.
The farm is expected to cost about $660 million, making it a larger investment than the nearby Harapaki wind farm. The wind farm, also located alongside State Highway 5, was developed by Meridian Energy and cost roughly $450 million.
“Every panel installed moves Te Rahui closer to delivering more renewable electricity for New Zealanders, while creating jobs and lasting benefits here in the region,” Nova Energy chief executive Rob Foster said during the ‘golden row’ event, which was held to mark the installation of the first rows of panels.
Te Rahui solar farm is being described by its developers as the largest solar farm in New Zealand to have received consent to date.
The project was granted consent in late 2022, and a later appeal to the Environment Court was dismissed in 2024, clearing the way for construction to move ahead.