Lodestone Energy, New Zealand’s leader in utility-scale solar development, has commenced generation at its largest solar farm, Te Herenga o TeRā, in Waiotahe Valley, Bay of Plenty. The farm has been designed to generate 69 GWh annually using over 71,600 bifacial panels, powering 10,000 homes. Construction began in December 2023, following Lodestone’s earlier projects, including Kohirā in Kaitaia. Te Herenga o TeRā has become New Zealand’s first solar farm connected directly to Transpower’s national grid. Other Lodestone farms have connections to local networks, with a fourth project underway in Whitianga. The farm has incorporated an agrivoltaics design, enabling agriculture alongside solar generation. Lodestone plans to develop nine additional farms, targeting 800 GWh annual generation by 2028, boosting New Zealand’s solar capacity.