April 29, 2026
The sun truly came out on Friday as we officially opened our Taiohi Solar Farm in Rangiriri, Waikato — a major milestone for our sister company NewPower Energy and for renewable energy in the region.
It was a real pleasure to be joined by our partners at Maurea Marae, alongside local MPs, mayors and councilors, as well as WEL Networks, Infratec, our subcontractors, suppliers, and members of the wider community, to celebrate this special occasion.
At 30 MWp, Taiohi is NewPower Energy’s largest solar farm to date and a flagship project in the Waikato.
The opening ceremony was hosted by Maurea Marae as mana whenua and included the unveiling of an exquisitely carved pou, also named Taiohi. The pou depicts Māui — who famously captured the sun long before modern solar technology was invented — and faces east toward the rising sun.
It was especially fitting to have MP for Hauraki-Waikato, Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, unveil the pou Taiohi.
Our partnership with Maurea Marae has been integral to the project since its inception. It has included training and employment opportunities throughout construction, scholarships to support rangatahi pursuing careers in the electricity sector, and financial contributions that support a grants programme for whānau with pēpi, tamariki and rangatahi.
The Taiohi Solar Farm is expected to generate approximately 44.6 GWh of renewable electricity each year — enough to power around 5,600 homes — while avoiding around 4,500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. The site spans 32 hectares and includes more than 47,000 solar panels and 24,000 piles.
A huge mihi to everyone who helped bring this project to life, including our build partners and suppliers: PGS Profab, Trilect, Feisst, Connells, SMA, Canadian Solar, S‑Rack, Kiwistaff and WEL Networks. This truly has been a team effort. And a special mihi to Maurea Marae for your partnership throughout the project and for hosting Friday’s opening. While Taiohi solar farm is expected to operate for around 30 years, our aspiration is that the benefits created through this partnership will endure for generations.
