Lodestone Energy Limited is a New Zealand electricity generation company that specialises in the construction and operation of photovoltaic power stations. As of April 2024, it operates one solar farm, with two more under construction.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electricity generation |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Headquarters | New Zealand |
Key people | Gary Holden |
| Website | lodestoneenergy |
History
editIn May 2021, the company announced plans for five solar power stations, capable of generating one percent of New Zealand's power.[1][2] In June 2022, it completed a $300 million capital raise to fund its initial projects.[3] Investors in the company included Rod Drury, Sam Morgan, and Stephen Tindall.[4]
In July 2023, Lodestone Energy was granted a NZ$15 million working capital facility by Green Investment Finance to fund its solar farm developments.[5][6] In October 2023, it announced a partnership with British joint venture HES Aotearoa to develop a further nine solar farms.[7] In January 2024, the company announced plans to build three solar farms in Canterbury as part of the partnership.[8] In April 2024, it completed a $55 million capital raise to fund further expansion.[9]
Construction of the company's first solar farm, Kohirā, began in early 2023 and was completed in February 2024.[10] In September 2023, Lodestone Energy signed a long-term supply contract with The Warehouse Group to supply their retail stores with electricity.[11][12] In August 2024 the company announced it had acquired sites for two new solar farms in the Manawatu from Kiwi Solar, and that it planned a third.[13]
Power stations
editOperational
edit| Name | Type | Location | Capacity (MW) | Annual generation (average GWh) |
Commissioned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kohirā | Solar | Kaitaia, Northland | 32 | 55 | 2024 |
| Rangitaiki | Solar | Edgecumbe, Bay of Plenty | 32 | 54[14] | 2024[15] |
Proposed / under construction
edit| Name | Type | Location | Projected capacity (MW) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunnythorpe | Solar | Bunnythorpe, Manawatu | 26 | Proposed |
| Clandeboye | Solar | Clandeboye, Canterbury | Consented[16] | |
| Dunsandel | Solar | Dunsandel, Canterbury | Consented[16] | |
| Haldon | Solar | Mackenzie District | 220 | Proposed[17] |
| Kairanga | Solar | Palmerston North, Manawatu | 27 | Proposed |
| Lodestone One | Solar | Dargaville, Northland | 60 | Proposed |
| Mount Somers | Solar | Mount Somers, Canterbury | Consented[16] | |
| Te Herenga o Te Rā | Solar | Waiotahe, Bay of Plenty | 30 | Under construction[18] |
| Whitianga | Solar | Whitianga, Waikato | 32 | Under construction |
References
edit- ^ Pullar-Strecker, Tom (12 May 2021). "$300m plan for five solar energy farms, providing 1pc of country's supply". Stuff. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Plans under way for NZ's first major solar farms". Farmers Weekly. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Lodestone Energy raises $300m to fund five large solar farms". RNZ. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ Pullar-Strecker, Tom (7 June 2022). "Rod Drury and Sam Morgan help get $300m solar farm project over the line". Stuff. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Government's green investment bank adds $15m to solar project". RNZ News. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Lodestone Energy". New Zealand Green Investment Finance. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ Carroll, David (5 October 2023). "Lodestone links with UK companies to progress NZ solar strategy". PV Magazine. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ Tobin, Chris (26 January 2024). "Three solar farms to be built in Canterbury". Stuff. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ Gray, Jamie (9 April 2024). "Solar firm Lodestone Energy completes $55 million capital raise". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ Dinsdale, Mike (28 February 2024). "Lodestone Energy's solar farm in Kaitāia starts powering national grid". Northern Advocate. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Hundreds of The Warehouse Group sites to be powered by solar farms". RNZ News. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Electricity from Kaitāia solar farm to power big-box retailers". Northern Advocate. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ Janine Rankin (20 August 2024). "Lodestone plans three new solar farms in Manawatū". Stuff. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
- ^ "Rangitaiki Solar Farm – Lodestone Energy". Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ "Peter Apperley on LinkedIn: #solarenergy | 16 comments". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ a b c "Consents granted for three solar farms in Canterbury". The Post. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ "Lodestone teams up with high-country station for Mackenzie Country solar project". New Zealand Herald. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Lodestone Energy begins construction at its next utility-scale solar site – Lodestone Energy". Retrieved 26 April 2024.
External links
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