Trinasolar & Lodestone activate New Zealand’s largest agrivoltaic farm

Trinasolar, headquartered in China, has partnered with New Zealand’s Lodestone Energy to commission Te Herenga o Te Rā in Ōpōtiki District. According to Lodestone Energy, the 42 MW agrivoltaic farm was built on a former dairy site and began generation ahead of schedule. Trinasolar said the farm uses over 71,000 modules and is expected to produce 69 GWh of electricity annually for 10,000 homes. The project features elevated panels that allow sheep grazing underneath, enabling natural vegetation control and reducing livestock heat stress. As per Lodestone Energy, it is New Zealand’s first solar project directly connected to the national electricity grid. Trinasolar and Lodestone Energy have together installed nearly 200,000 modules across three sites, supplying power to about 25,000 homes yearly.