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A pre-build photo of the Dannevirke Solar Farm site at 440 Tamaki River Rd, provided to the Tararua District Council as part of an ecological assessment of the site by Forbes Ecology Ltd. Photo / Forbes Ecology Ltd.
Construction is under way for the first solar farm in Dannevirke, and another is planned by 2027.
The Dannevirke SF project at 440 Tamaki River Rd, on the corner of Top Grass Rd, has an expected capacity of 23 megawatts peak, the equivalent of powering 5000 homes.
Power generated will contribute to the national grid and could be used anywhere in the country.
Tararua District Council chief executive Corin Haines said the solar farm involved solar developer Bright Fern Energy and GameChange Solar, which provides the materials to build solar farms.
“It combines renewable energy with environmental restoration, including wetlands, native planting, and stream improvements developed with iwi.”
The overseas investment office (OIO) granted Dannevirke SF consent to buy the land on January 27.
The company is a newly formed New Zealand limited partnership, with 58% owned by an Australian family trust.
“The land is currently used as part of a bigger farm managed by a sharemilker. Grazing will be allowed to continue once the solar farm is operating,” the OIO decision stated.
From October 2025, contractors pulled down fences, carried out site preparation, trimmed hedge lines, and performed a cultural blessing.
Council resource consent application for land use documents showed that consent for the construction, operation, and maintenance was sought in December 2023.
The resource consent said the project is a renewable energy development that met the One Plan definition of regionally significant infrastructure.
The site will be unmanned, with maintenance staff occasionally on site.
The second solar farm is a New Zealand Clean Energy (NZCE) Dannevirke Solar & Energy Storage Project.
It is 6km west of Dannevirke, on 213ha of rural-zoned land off Top Grass Rd.
It is 107MW, and able to power 25,000 homes.
The land is used for dry stock cattle grazing and will transition to sheep grazing after construction.
It received resource consent in November 2024, and financial close and construction are targeted for 2027
“NZCE is confident that DVK will deliver long-term value to the local economy and national energy system,” its website stated.
“Its location, grid prioritisation, and dual land use offer a compelling combination of technical, commercial, and environmental benefits.”
Haines said the council took a balanced approach to solar farms.
“While there are clear benefits to renewable energy, it is also important to carefully consider the use of highly productive farmland and the potential impacts on the character and values of our rural areas.”
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.
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