Bruce Wild Leases Somerton Land for ANZA Power Solar Farm

Bruce Wild will soon share a paddock in Somerton with 42 megawatts of solar capacity. The farmer has leased 148 hectares of his property to ANZA Power to host the developer’s first solar farm in New Zealand. The site is located just north of Ashburton, where Wild has operated his farm for 30 years. He made the decision to diversify his income after finding it increasingly difficult to maintain traditional arable crops.

Wild stated that he can no longer grow peas for Watties and that grass seed production has been restricted to limited areas. He viewed the solar arrangement as a practical way to generate two income streams from the same land. "I’m not a dairy farmer, and I think there is enough of them in the area," Wild said. He added that he was "totally on board" after learning he could continue to run stock underneath the panels.

ANZA Power chief executive Carlo Frigerio attended a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday to launch the project. The company is part of global infrastructure investor I Squared Capital. Frigerio described the site as the start of the company's first New Zealand solar project. The design includes space for a future battery storage system, allowing for expansion without major rework. The farm is scheduled to be operational and connected to EA Network’s grid by early 2028.

Ashburton Mayor Liz McMillan attended the event to support the renewable energy development. She noted that Canterbury offers long daylight hours and flat terrain, making it an ideal location for solar generation. McMillan highlighted the economic benefit of grazing animals under the panels as a way to diversify the local economy. "I just like the fact that you are able to graze underneath," she said.

Tewera King, the upoko of Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua, performed a karakia at the ceremony. He concluded with a waiata about planting food, such as kumara, when the timing is right. King stated that this is the appropriate time to plant the solar farm. The event marked the beginning of construction on what will be the fourth major solar farm in the Ashburton District.

ANZA Power has signed a power purchase agreement with Fonterra. The dairy co-op will purchase 80 percent of the electricity generated at the Somerton site. The farm is situated between Fonterra’s manufacturing facilities in Darfield and Clandeboye. ANZA is also developing two other sites in the Selwyn District: the 100-megawatt Norwood Solar Farm and the 70-megawatt Highfield Solar Farm at Charing Cross.

Fonterra has a separate agreement with NZ Clean Energy for a 129-megawatt Darfield Solar and Energy Storage Project. That project is located next to a Fonterra factory off Homebush Road. The Somerton development follows three other solar projects in the area. The first was a joint venture in Lauriston between Genesis Energy and FRV Australia. A second 8-hectare farm was built south of Ashburton by Lightyears Solar. A third project is currently being built near Mount Somers by Lodestone Energy on land leased by Duncan Humm.