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\nA new solar farm has been commissioned at Swannanoa in North Canterbury.
\nPhoto: Lightyears Solar Ltd\n<\/p>\n
A ”community scale solar farm” has been lit up in North Canterbury.<\/p>\n
Auckland-based Lightyears Solar Ltd commissioned an 8ha solar farm on Tram Road at Swannanoa, near Rangiora, earlier this month.<\/p>\n
It will produce around 5MW – enough to power 1000 homes.<\/p>\n
The project was granted a resource consent by the Waimakariri District Council last year.<\/p>\n
”Our ethos is community scale solar farms,” Lightyears Solar founder Matt Shanks said.<\/p>\n
”Five to 15 hectares fits in with existing communities without taking over the landscape.<\/p>\n
”That scale could work well for small towns all around New Zealand and support the resilience of local networks.”<\/p>\n
The power will be fed into the local MainPower energy network.<\/p>\n
![\"Lightyears](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4JPD3I9_Hur1113LDRsolar_JPG.jpeg\")
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\nLightyears Solar Ltd co-founders Matt Shanks (left) and Sean Toban.
\nPhoto: Lightyears Solar Ltd\n<\/p>\n
Lightyears Solar worked with MainPower on another solar farm project, a 7.3MW solar farm on a 10ha site on Thongcaster Road at Eyrewell, near Oxford, last year.<\/p>\n
It will produce enough electricity to power 1250 homes.<\/p>\n
Lightyears Solar has worked on several solar farm projects around the country.<\/p>\n
Work is under way on an 18ha solar farm at Reefton, while smaller solar farms are planned near Ashburton.<\/p>\n
Two more projects are in the pipeline in the North Island next year and Shanks said there could be opportunities to return to North Canterbury in the future.<\/p>\n
”There will always be a landowner who has a couple of paddocks which aren’t as productive, so they may be looking for an alternative use.”<\/p>\n
Shanks said solar panels were compatible with livestock farming and cropping, with sheep, pigs and calves often grazing around them.<\/p>\n
”It doesn’t work so well with the larger dairy cows, but the sheep and pigs like getting the shade under the panels on a hot day.<\/p>\n
”We do get the odd nosy calf which is curious, but we design the panels for that.”<\/p>\n
Shanks said the consenting, design and planning took about 12 to 18 months, while the build took about six months on 5-15ha solar farms.<\/p>\n
Solar energy reduced by about 50 percent on cloudy days, and dropped by around 40-50 percent in the winter.<\/p>\n
With battery storage, power could be stored to provide electricity for two to four hours in the evening.<\/p>\n
Other solar farms have been proposed in North Canterbury at Sefton and Waipara.<\/p>\n
An 80ha solar farm resource consent application by Energy Bay Ltd on Upper Sefton Road was notified by the Waimakariri District Council last year, with 88 submissions received.<\/p>\n
The application has since been placed on hold at the request of the applicant.<\/p>\n
The Hurunui District Council notified a resource consent application last year from Far North Solar Farm Ltd to build a 181ha solar farm on Waipara Flat Road, with 158 submissions received.<\/p>\n
A hearing is due to be held in the Omihi Community Hall, beginning on May 12.<\/p>\n
The Waimakariri and Hurunui district councils have been contacted for comment.<\/p>\n
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.<\/p>\n