New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) established Papa Rererangi I Puketapu Ltd (PRIP) to help deliver its sustainability and energy resiliency targets.
In 2022 PRIP awarded the development and construction of an Airport Energy Park to Infratec. Since then, Infratec and PRIP designed a 10MWdc fixed tilt pile mounted solar farm to provide both the airport and wider community’s future energy demands.
Infratec’s team worked hard to deliver this project, from detailed design through to construction and commissioning. Construction of the solar farm commenced in 2024, and was completed in September 2025.
To give an idea of the hard mahi that goes into a project like this, the team on site guided 3,297 piles into the ground, installed 14,392 solar panels and laid 102.6 km of locally sourced electrical cables. All this while conducting meticulous safety and quality checks every step of the way and working closely with stakeholders to ensure minimum disturbance to the community and honouring the rich heritage of the land. Infratec used local contractors and labour for 95% of the delivery.
Annually, Te Matakupenga is expected to generate up to 14,700 MWh of electricity and avoid more than 1,500 tonnes of CO2 going into our atmosphere . The solar farm will also make New Plymouth Airport largely self-sufficient in its electricity use and provide additional income from the sale of surplus electricity. The 15-hectare site is still used for grazing, ensuring the land remains productive in more ways than one.
The name Te Matakupenga was gifted by Puketapu Hapū, and refers to the woven net used by Māui to slow the journey of Tama-nui-te-rā, the sun, to make the days longer.
Read more here.
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