en.Wedoany.com Reported - Lodestone Energy and Centralines, in a 50:50 joint venture, will begin construction of the Central Hawke's Bay Solar Farm on the Ruataniwha Plains in New Zealand this spring. The plant has an installed capacity of 31.5MWdc, featuring approximately 49,000 solar modules, with an annual generation of about 50GWh and a total investment of NZ$50 million (approximately US$29.5 million).
Site preparation work has commenced, with full construction planned for this spring and commercial operations targeted for late summer 2027. 49,000 high-efficiency 640W modules from Trina Solar have arrived in Napier, awaiting installation. Trina Solar has previously supplied modules for multiple Lodestone projects, including Kohirā, Rangitaiki, and Te Herenga o Te Rā.
Once operational, the plant will supply power directly to the Centralines distribution network, increasing local generation and reducing the region's reliance on long-distance power transmission from the national grid. Centralines' stake in the joint venture aims to retain long-term value locally, with financial returns reinvested in regional power infrastructure.
Lodestone Managing Director Gary Holden stated that the project fills a long-standing gap in Hawke's Bay's energy mix. He said: "Together, we are bringing new renewable energy generation capacity to Hawke's Bay. The region has excellent solar resources but historically high electricity prices. This project will increase local energy supply, enhance regional energy resilience, create retail innovation opportunities, and deliver lasting value to Hawke's Bay communities and businesses for decades to come."
Centralines Chairman Fenton Wilson added that the project ensures development benefits remain local. "By investing in local generation, we both strengthen grid resilience and ensure that development benefits stay within the community."
The Central Hawke's Bay project is the sixth solar PV plant developed by Lodestone. PV Tech reported in 2025 that the company's 42MW Te Herenga o Te Rā solar PV plant in the Waiohahi Valley became New Zealand's first solar PV plant to connect directly to Transpower's national grid. The 69GWh project features an agrivoltaic design, maintaining sheep grazing beneath elevated modules on single-axis tracking systems.
Agrivoltaics are a consistent feature of Lodestone's solar PV plant designs, and the Ruataniwha Plains site will also incorporate this design, sustaining agricultural activities alongside solar power generation.
In June 2025, Lodestone began construction of its first South Island solar PV plant in Klandeboye, Canterbury. The 27.7MW plant, located on a 42-hectare flat site formerly used as a dairy farm, will install approximately 45,000 single-row vertically mounted bifacial modules, generating 43GWh annually to meet the growing demand from the company's South Island customer base.
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