{"id":613190,"date":"2026-09-27T08:08:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T08:08:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/613190\/"},"modified":"2026-09-27T08:08:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T08:08:18","slug":"profits-from-iwi-led-solar-project-tagged-for-families-experiencing-energy-hardship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/613190\/","title":{"rendered":"Profits from iwi-led solar project tagged for families experiencing energy hardship"},"content":{"rendered":"

A floating solar project has transformed a Dannevirke wastewater treatment pond into a source of clean energy, with profit from the electricity generated going to wh\u0101nau the Tararua community experiencing energy hardship.<\/p>\n

The project is a partnership between Rangit\u0101ne o Tamaki nui-\u0101-Rua and Tararua District Council and features 880 solar panels mounted on a floating structure at the Dannevirke Wastewater Treatment Plant.<\/p>\n

Owned and operated by Rangit\u0101ne o Tamaki nui-\u0101-Rua, the project will see 50 eligible households receiving contributions towards their electricity bills.<\/p>\n

Rangit\u0101ne o Tamaki nui-\u0101-Rua Charitable Trust trustee Mavis Mullins said it was a local solution, led by locals, for the benefit of locals.<\/p>\n

“The key to this project was mahi tahi, working together, reflected in the whakatauk\u012b: “N\u0101ku te rourou, n\u0101u te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi” – “With your basket and my basket, we will sustain everyone.<\/p>\n

“The floating design makes clever use of an existing asset, turning a wastewater pond into a source of clean energy.”<\/p>\n

\"Rangit\u0101ne<\/p>\n

Rangit\u0101ne o Tamaki nui-\u0101-Rua Charitable Trust trustee Mavis Mullins speaks at the opening of the floating solar project.<\/p>\n

Supplied\/Tararua District Council<\/p>\n

Council provided Rangit\u0101ne o Tamaki nui-\u0101-Rua with a licence to occupy for the solar panels.<\/p>\n

Council also entered a power purchase agreement with the Iwi, whereby Council will buy electricity produced by the solar array at a discounted rate to help power the wastewater treatment plant.<\/p>\n

Additional power produced and not utilised at the wastewater treatment plant will be fed back into the grid.<\/p>\n

Mayor Scott Gilmore said the project could become a blueprint for other councils.<\/p>\n

“With hundreds of wastewater ponds across New Zealand, the model could inspire other communities looking for practical ways to combine renewable energy, infrastructure resilience, lower costs and social benefit.<\/p>\n

“As energy prices are rising and environmental pressures mount, it is time to start exploring innovative solutions with resources that are not fully utilised.”<\/p>\n

\"Tararua<\/p>\n

Tararua District Mayor Scott Gilmore speaks at the opening of the solar project.<\/p>\n

Supplied\/Tararua District Council<\/p>\n

The project has also recently secured funding for battery storage, allowing more of the solar energy generated during the day to be stored and used beyond sunshine hours.<\/p>\n

Rangit\u0101ne o Tamaki nui-\u0101-Rua Charitable Trust chairperson Aaron K\u0101rena said the iwi was excited to formally launch this development.<\/p>\n

“This kaupapa has been led by our energy company, T\u016b Mai R\u0101 Energy, and is a partnership with the Tararua District Council. Alongside our other mahi, this kaupapa strengthens our connection with our whenua and taiao here at M\u0101kirikiri, and across our wider rohe of Tamaki-nui-a-Rua”.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A floating solar project has transformed a Dannevirke wastewater treatment pond into a source of clean energy.<\/p>\n

Supplied\/Tararua District Council<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A floating solar project has transformed a Dannevirke wastewater treatment pond into a source of clean energy, with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":613191,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[138,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-613190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/613190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=613190"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/613190\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/613191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=613190"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=613190"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=613190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}