[Auckland, June 2025] Ethical Power New Zealand was selected as the principal solar EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contractor by leading solar energy company Lodestone Energy, for the delivery of their first project in the South Island in Clandeboye, Canterbury. Construction is set to begin in June 2025, with first generation expected in the third quarter of 2026.
The Clandeboye solar farm will generate 43 GWh of renewable electricity annually and is similar in scale to Lodestone’s projects at Kaitaia, Edgecumbe and Whitianga.
Lodestone’s expansion into the South Island, beginning with the Clandeboye project, will diversify its portfolio and enable the company to serve its growing customer base across the country.
Ethical Power New Zealand Managing Director Matt Rowe comments
“We are proud to partner with a company that is making great progress in the renewable energy sector and is aligned on the potential value solar can deliver to New Zealand. Our international construction experience alongside Lodestone’s local market experience makes for a strong partnership.”
Lodestone Managing Director Gary Holden says: “Adding new generation at this pace is a crucial part of our vision to ensure New Zealand has a ‘solar farm in every community’. We are committed to ensuring customers in all regions will have access to low cost, renewable energy, and solar is the perfect way to complement the existing South Island hydro resources. Canterbury is the ideal location for solar: there is plenty of sunshine, and it fits well with the electricity demand for irrigation and milk production.”
The beginning of Ethical Power’s connection with Lodestone Energy goes back to 2023, when Lodestone acquired nine development sites from Ethical Power’s joint venture, HES Aotearoa. Since then, the UK arm of Ethical Power Group which operates a 24/7 control room, has also secured a remote performance monitoring contract for Lodestone’s Kaitaia, Edgecumbe and Waiotahe solar farms.
The new solar farm, the first in Lodestone’s portfolio located in the South Island, will cover circa 42ha and incorporate around 45,000 tracking solar panels. As the principal EPC contractor, Ethical Power is responsible for detailed design engineering and optimisation of the project, as well as the procurement of modules and the full-wrap construction, involving civil works, cabling, panel mounting and commissioning of the site.
Once commissioned, the landowner, Clearwater Farm, will continue to graze the site with sheep, providing natural vegetation management. The low-profile project situated on a flat section will also include a native planting buffer along the perimeter, providing natural visual screening. The site will be connected to the Alpine Energy distribution network.
Image: Lodestone Energy’s Kohirā Solar Farm in Kaitaia. Note that this image depicts a taller two-in-portrait module configuration versus a lower one-in-portrait design that is planned for Clandeboye.
About Lodestone Energy
Lodestone Energy Limited is New Zealand’s leading utility-scale solar generation company. It was founded in 2019 to accelerate the national effort to decarbonise the energy sector. It is achieving this by developing a nationwide portfolio of right-sized solar farms in the right places, leveraging the best available technology, delivered in collaboration with local communities and customers. Lodestone Energy aims to contribute a substantial amount of solar production to the country’s electricity market and be a leader in bringing solar-based energy solutions to customers.