Contact Energy opens South Island’s biggest solar farm at Christchurch Airport
Contact Energy has opened the South Island's largest solar farm at Christchurch Airport in New Zealand. The facility, a joint venture with Lightsource bp, will provide renewable energy to the airport and Synlait Milk.
Why it matters
This project represents a significant step in New Zealand's transition to renewable energy and industrial electrification.
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Contact Energy has officially opened its Kōwhai Park solar farm – the South Island’s biggest – at Christchurch Airport.
Developed through Contact Energy and Lightsource bp’s joint venture, Kōwhai Park is expected to generate 275 gigawatt hours of renewable energy a year, which is equivalent to the annual electricity demand of about 36,000 homes.
Christchurch Airport and dairy company Synlait Milk will source electricity from Kōwhai Park under long-term power purchase agreements.
Synlait will buy 25% of the electricity generated to power its Dunsandel and Dairyworks sites.
About 300,000 solar panels stretch across the 230ha site at Christchurch International Airport.
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