Planning Consent secured for 65 MW Solar Farm in New Zealand

Ethical Power, working in partnership with KeaX Limited, has obtained planning consent for its 65 MW Buckleys Road Solar Farm in New Zealand. 

The project is a 104-ha solar array across a 111-ha site in Selwyn District, just outside Christchurch with an operational generating capacity of 100 GWh. The solar element of the project will comprise 140,000 single axis tracking modules and 13 inverters across and a co-located battery energy storage system (BESS).

In preparation for the planning submission, Ethical Power and KeaX consulted Te Taumutu Runanga on the preservation of the cultural values of the land. The planning consent statement included a positive review of the cultural considerations. The design incorporates a Maori Wähi Taonga Site.

The proposed Buckleys Road site is located adjacent to the Brookside 66 kV substation. With close access to the grid and Christchurch, a major demand hotspot, the project will maximise the effective use of the power network.