Kōwhai Park solar farm, a large project in New Zealand, has completed the installation of the first row of solar panels, known as the Golden Row, at Christchurch Airport. The project is in collaboration with Lightsource bp and Contact Energy, encompassing a 230-hectare site. Once completed, the solar farm will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 36,000 homes. The project was initially announced in December 2021.
“The solar farm brings our vision to life, using airport land in new ways to support a low-emissions future for our region. We’re excited to hit this milestone, which marks another step towards a cleaner energy future reflecting the strength of the partnership driving it,” said Justin Watson Christchurch Airport CEO.
“We’re thrilled to see the progress at Kōwhai Park – the first solar farm as part of our joint venture partnership. It demonstrates the impact that can be achieved through effective, strategic collaboration in advancing New Zealand’s renewable energy future,” said Mike Fuge, Contact Energy CEO.
Adam Pegg, Chief Operating Officer for Asia-Pacific (APAC) at Lightsource bp, commented: “This is a significant moment for our team and our partners. We’re proud to be working with Contact Energy and Christchurch Airport to bring this project to life. It’s a great example of what can be achieved when industry leaders come together with a shared focus on delivering practical, long-term solutions for decarbonisation.”
In 2022, Christchurch Airport managed to declare itself as carbon positive, due to its efforts with decarbonisation and its support towards other airports attempting to become carbon neutral.
Photo: Christchurch Airport
