Centralines has secured $8 million in loan funding from the Government’s Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) to build a 35-hectare solar farm in Ongaonga.
The solar farm will generate approximately 52 gigawatt-hours annually, providing power to the equivalent of 9,000 electricity connections and create a local source of renewable energy for the district.
Construction is expected to begin in December 2025, with the build expected to take around 12 months.
Chair of the Centralines Board, Fenton Wilson, says: “This is more than just a solar farm—it’s an investment in the future of Central Hawke’s Bay. By generating electricity locally, we’ll improve energy resilience, reduce reliance on remote generation, and support more competitive retail electricity offerings for local households and businesses.”
The funding, provided as a concessionary loan, will enable Centralines to proceed with the development alongside a yet-to-be-announced joint venture partner. By introducing local generation, the solar farm is expected to attract more electricity retailers to the region – boosting competition and improving options for households and businesses.
In addition to its energy benefits, the project will provide a significant employment boost, with up to 80 jobs created during construction, including approximately 30 high-skilled roles.
I’ve often wondered why Central Government doesn’t start a subsidy scheme (similar to the one they had for insulation) to have solar panels placed on residential and commercial buildings throughout the country. Surely the power generated from such a scheme going into the national grid would at least equal a new dam or more and reduce household electricity costs.
A 52 GW solar farm on just 35 hectares? Move over, China – our local farmers have clearly cracked the code on ultra-dense renewable energy! Who needs subsidies when you’ve got Kiwi ingenuity and a spare paddock? At this rate, we’ll be powering the entire national grid *and* still have room for the annual sheep-shearing championships.
For just $8 million, those panels must be made of repurposed milking shed roofs and sheer determination.
But just to double-check—sure it’s not 52 *megawatts*?
Centralines Chairman is standing behind the media release in terms of 52GW. The $8m in loan support is only a portion of the total cost, not yet finalised.
52GW on 35 hectares? That’s approximately 1.5GW per hectare – roughly 1,000 times denser than reality. Either New Zealand’s sun is 10,000 times stronger than the Sahara, or some decimal point went walk-abouts.
(For context: The world’s *largest* solar farm, China’s 5GW facility, covers 13,000+ hectares. A real 52MW farm would need ~100 hectares.)