Frequently asked questions.

• It serves as a renewable and abundant energy source, harnessed in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. Solar farms boast established advantages over alternative energy generation methods, encompassing:

• emission-free electricity production

• quiet, electricity generation

• minimal technological risk

• low maintenance needs

• reduced environmental impact compared to wind, hydro and geothermal options.

• greater resilience to weather variations than wind and hydro alternatives.

• restoration of farmland

• promotion of biodiversity

• limited impact on public amenities

• diversification of New Zealand's energy portfolion

• Close to grid infrastructure - substation or powerlines.

• 15ha+ of land available.

• Flat and clear of vegetation (within reason).

• Good access.

• Absolutely, you can continue farming the land as normal until construction.

• Following construction, we actively encourage you to graze sheep in the fields and keep the land in agricultural use.

• The development process for such a project can take from 2-4 years.

• Construction will take 12-18 months.

• The project will be operational for a minimum of 35 years.

• A solar farm can be dismantled as quickly and as easily as it is constructed, with very little impat on the land.

• Once we have land secured, we will secure resource consent and approval to connect to the electrical grid network. All of this work and associated costs are completed and covered by us.

• No money is required from your side. We simply ask for some of your time to approve plans and concepts.

• Once the land is secured, we will obtain resource consent and approval to connect to the electrical grid. All of this work and associated costs are completed and covered by us. It is not subsidised by the Government.

• Yes we will look to utilise an energy storage battery where possible.

• There will be a small level of noise but all noise emissions will remain under regulation guidelines. We actively work to minimise this impact.

• Yes we will screen the project with native vegetation where needed.

• During the construction phase, there is usually an increase in the number of vehicles delivering materials to the site. There will be a traffic management plan to prevent damage and minimise disruption. Once the site is built, traffic will cease almost entirely.

• Solar panels are designed to absorb the sunlight and any light reflecting results in poor efficiency. . The panels have a non-reflective coating to reduce glare and boost their efficiency and subsequently the glare from panels is very minimal.

• The project is analysed during the resource consent phase and any potential glare identified will be mitigated against.

• Numerous airports around the world have solar farms next to them, with no glare issues for pilots. This is the same in Europe where solar panels run adjacent to motorways and freeways with no issues.

• The panels are also shielded from view using screening vegetation and maintaining setbacks. There are no visible lights on the solar farm.

• There will be ground disturbance during construction for trenching and post ramming of the mounting frame. However we will minimise this where possible.

• Solar infrastructure is relatively low impact and we work to minimise soil disturbance and the release of carbon into the atmosphere.

• Absolutely, you can continue farming the land as normal until construction. Following construction, we actively encourage you to graze sheep in the fields and keep the land in agricultural use.

• No, the panels generate electricity by converting sunlight into electrical energy, and this is not a risk. The process doesn’t involve any harmful emissions or byproducts that could pose a health risk.

• There are of course minor risks during the construction of the project. These are mitigated with a solid health and safety plan during the construction phase. Whilst the panels contain copper and lead, they will not leach into the soil, and therefore will not affect the soil or bore water. Heavy metals found in some panels are coated in protective layers, including glass, back sheets, and encapsulant, which all prevent any leaching into the environment.

• We are leasing the land from you as the landowner. Should circumstances change and you need or want to sell the land, this is possible.

• Any buyer of the land would be buying the lease as the lease and the land are directly linked.

• The buyer would be purchasing the land and the associated rent generated from the solar farm.

• No. Only approximately 0.5% of the solar farm will be in direct contact with the ground, the entire footprint of the solar panels will only cover around one third of the site and the land underneath the panels will be permeable farmland.

• Solar farms comprise rows of solar panels, oriented to the north, positioned approximately 1 meter above the ground, with a height of up to 2.9 meters and spacing of 3-4 meters between them. This strategic arrangement ensures that each row of panels avoids casting shadows on the next row, we make sure to maintain the same level of electricity generation to avoid any reduction.

• Although they move to follow the sun, the panels are fixed at a certain angle to optimize sun exposure. To reduce any visual impact, solar farms can be shielded from view by maintaining setbacks from boundaries and implementing appropriate screen planting. These measures not only address aesthetic concerns but also contribute to the creation of new habitats and the enhancement of biodiversity.

• For the purposes of large-scale solar arrays, setback distances are still largely being developed and refined by state governments. It is essential to consider the vegetative characteristics of the land use before and after solar farm development and the need to reduce any localized temperature increases.

• Various studies have concluded that heating effects are localized with no overall day-to-day warming effect. These studies have been translated into state planning guidelines such as those published by Victoria, which outlines specific recommendations for Solar Energy Facilities Design and Development.

• The NSW Government's recently published Large-Scale Solar Energy Guideline represents the most comprehensive set of guidelines published by the Australian states. Additionally, the NREL has published research papers related to the benefits of adding low-growing vegetation under solar panel installations.

• At this nascent phase of the utility-scale solar power industry in New Zealand, it is natural to harbour concerns that properties near solar power farms may experience a depreciation in value, primarily due to the visual impact of these solar farms.

• Before granting solar developers resource consent, the local council will evaluate the developer’s plans to alleviate any potential visual effects on adjacent properties, and passersby. The commonly employed method for reducing the visual impact is the cultivation of vegetation. Solar arrays are not typically higher than 3m. Whilst strategic vegetation planting can drastically reduce the visibility of solar panels, there may remain elevated vantage points, from which the solar farm remains in sight, and these cannot be obscured by planting.

• As the adoption of solar power increases, there will be a diminished necessity for other power plants that are more visually intrusive, such as wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric facilities.