Aotearoa New Zealand grid-scale solar developer Lodestone Energy has partnered with poultry provider Inghams in a landmark 20-year agreement where Lodestone will match Inghams electricity consumption 100% via its north island solar farms.
The Te Herenga o Te Rā (Waiotahe) agrivoltaics solar farm near the Bay of Plenty, 300 kilometres south of Auckland features 70,000 panels generating 69 GWh per year and is included in the agreement.
Other solar farms in the Coromandel region north of Waiotahe and 190 kilometres east of Auckland are also included in the agreement, which is the location of Lodestone’s newest project, Whitianga, that’s expected to generate 50 GWh per year via 53,000 solar panels, to be completed in November 2025.
Lodestone’s solar hedge proposition, supported by renewable energy certificates (RECs) enables long term thinking for organisations beyond the risks of carbon costs and gas.
Image Lodestone Energy Limited
Lodestone Energy Managing Director Gary Holden said RECs are becoming recognised as the tangible way for electricity consumers to contribute to the green energy transition.
“Inghams has a strong desire to move to a fully decarbonised electricity supply in a timely manner, and with this agreement, Lodestone’s rapid development programme will deliver premium certified credentials as their current contracts expire,” Holden said.
“By offsetting 100% of their consumption with new sources, Inghams will directly play its part in a decarbonised future.”
Inghams Chief Executive New Zealand Edward Alexander said Lodestone’s renewable energy proposition is innovative, saves the company and enables it to meet its decarbonisation goals long into the future.
“We are obtaining the same outcome as if we built our own rooftop solar infrastructure but without the upfront capital cost and ongoing maintenance requirements,” Alexander said.
“At Inghams, sustainability is at the core of our operations. This long-term agreement with Lodestone allows us to not only offset our electricity carbon footprint but also secure a stable and cost-competitive energy source for the future.”
For Lodestone, the partnership is another important step in delivering on a capital programme that plans to add over 800 GWh to market by 2028.
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