Community solar farm in Ōtaki
Energise Ōtaki’s Solar Farm was officially opened by Climate Change Minister James Shaw and Finance Minister Grant Robertson on 30 September 2020.
After a blessing from Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki, who also gifted the name of Rau Kūmara for the Wastewater Treatment Plant solar farm, the ministers officially opened the Rau Kūmara site together with Energise Ōtaki chair Leigh Ramsey.
James Shaw and Grant Robertson with Energise Otaki chairman Leigh Ramsey, right. Photo / Paul Williams
After a visit to the Wastewater Treatment Plant the event moved to Ōtaki College where the second part of the Energise Ōtaki Solar Farm is located.
The two sites will reduce greenhouse gases by about 23 tonnes a year and produce about $25,000 a year for the Energise Ōtaki investment fund. Project Leader Gael Ferguson said, “The fund will be used for community-driven, energy-related projects in Ōtaki and for wider community benefit.”
This is New Zealand’s first community solar farm, and Energise Ōtaki are proud to have partnered with Kāpiti Coast District Council, Wellington Community Trust, Ōtaki College, Ngā Hapū o Ōtaki and Infratec Ltd to create this unique, community-based, renewable energy system.
A 23kWp system is now installed at Ōtaki College and a 107 kWp system, named Rau Kūmara, adjacent to the Ōtaki Wastewater Treatment Plant. The generated power will be used at the College and to run the Council’s wastewater treatment process, and the proceeds from the electricity sold will be put into the Energise Ōtaki Community Investment Fund, supporting energy and other projects in the town.
The Energise Ōtaki Community Investment Fund will be dispersed on an annual basis, according to funding criteria, to community projects. The governance of this fund will be via an Energise Ōtaki sub-committee with representatives from Nga Hapu ō Ōtaki, Wellington Community Trust, Kāpiti Coast District Council
and Energise Ōtaki. There is an estimated minimum $25,000 annual revenue from the two installations that will start going into the Investment Fund for community reinvestment, in projects such as insulation improvements for households, education, and local employment.
Read about it from the local newspapers:
Unique solar energy farm giving back to community
Ōtaki Switches On NZ’s First Community Solar Farm.
This rooftop solar array is located at the Ōtaki College. This is a 23.14 kWp system which consists of 52 Canadian Solar modules (arranged in two strings of 14 and two of 12 modules) and 1 x Fronius three phase string inverter. The system is installed on the roof of the Art department of the college.
This ground-mount solar array is located at the Ōtaki Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). This is a 106.8 kWp system which consists of 240 Canadian Solar modules and 4 x Fronius three-phase string inverters. This installation utilises Schletter framing.
