UPDATE APRIL 2024: APPLICATIONS ON HOLD FOR MORE INFO
ECAN & HDC HAVE ASKED THE DEVELOPER TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ITS SOLAR PLANT PROPOSAL
Following developer FNSF's resource consent applications in March, both ECAN and Hurunui District Council have asked it to provide more information:
- ECAN has officially 'returned' the application under s.88 RMA, on the basis that it did not contain all the necessary information. ECAN has specified that FNSF must provide a detailed ecological assessment.
- Hurunui District Council has written to FNSF with a lengthy list of questions about its application, placing the application 'on hold' until FNSF responds. HDC's questions can be read on the HDC website here.
UPDATE MARCH 2024: CONSENT APPLICATIONS MADE
FNSF HAS APPLIED TO ECAN AND HDC FOR RESOURCE CONSENTS
Developer Far North Solar Farm Ltd (FNSF), in partnership with offshore investment fund Aquila Capital, has applied to Hurunui District Council and Environment Canterbury to build a 180-hectare solar plant in the Waipara Valley. You can read the applications online:
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MESSAGE FROM STUART SMITH MP
PRIOR TO FNSF'S "OPEN DAY" ON 28TH SEPTEMBER, MP STUART SMITH ASKED US TO SHARE THIS MESSAGE
"I am disappointed that Far North Solar have implied in advertising for the open day in Waipara that I support [their] project, I neither support nor oppose it. I will be attending and will support constituents whatever their view on the proposal."
This is a reassuring statement from Mr Smith, and we thank him for the clarification.
As well as being the MP for the Kaikōura electorate, Stuart Smith is National's spokesperson for Energy & Resources, and for Viticulture.
UPDATE 31 aUGUST 2023 - PREVIOUS OWNERS SPEAK OUT
The previous owners of THE PROPOSED SITE BELIEVED THEY WERE SIMPLY "SELLING A FARM TO A FARMER"
The previous owners of 380 Waipara Flat Rd, Lynda and Jock Murchison, have reached out to explain that they had no idea about the solar plant proposal when they sold – they thought they were selling a farm to a farmer. We’re sharing their message here, with their permission.
“Hi all
We would like you to know we had no idea this was being planned when we sold the farm. We were told [the new owner] was going to dry land crop and finish lambs as we have done. The day he took over he was there with his drill & seed to get the winter crops sown & told us he'd bought 3000 Merino hoggets from Omarama to finish.
When Jock's family sold Lake Coleridge Station it did not go to the highest bidder because they were developers. Instead it went to the current owners who are still farming it. That's our philosophy; and we wouldn't have sold at all but Rod wants a hill farm.
But in Tom's defence dry land farming takes a lot of know- how & capital to make it work. There's no irrigation water available on that land & it may be financially he is having to look at options.
Yours
Lynda & Jock Murchison”
WHAT DID HURUNUI DISTRICT COUNCIL KNOW - AND WHEN?
Lynda and Jock are adamant that no-one other than the new owner and his bank manager visited the site before the farm was taken over on 15th March.
This raises some serious questions about how FNSF knew about the site, and the extent to which they did appropriate due diligence before contacting Hurunui District Council. As well as telling some residents that they had visited the site before the sale was complete, FNSF contacted HDC to begin the consenting process only 9 days after the take-over.
In response to an Official Information Request, HDC have also said that Council CEO Hamish Dobbie knew about rumors of a purchase to construct a solar farm as early as January - three months before the take-over, and only a month after the sale became unconditional (15th December 2022).
UPDATE 25 AUGUST 2023 - FNSF VISIT LOCAL RESIDENTS
A representative of Far North Solar Farm Ltd this week visited local residents and provided more information about their proposal to build an industrial solar plant in the Waipara Valley. Through these discussions we now know:
- FNSF confirm the 'Waipara solar farm' would cover approx. 200ha. Based on their plans for a similar-sized plant in the Wairarapa, that’s around 300,000 panels.
- FNSF state the plant would have an output of around 135MWp. This is a measure of the ‘nominal’ peak power - in reality, the output would be considerably less than this, due to losses to weather, heat and inverter capacity limitations.
- There is no promise of cheaper power if the plant is built. FNSF General Manager John Andrews was adamant: “Of course I can’t promise anyone cheaper power!”
- FNSF have no experience building a solar plant this size. Instead they are basing their plans on plants in other countries such as India. While FNFS have numerous plants “planned” around NZ, the only ones they are actually building so far are around 50ha or less.
- Waipara has “absolutely” been chosen because of cost: it would be a cheaper initial set-up than building elsewhere, meaning more profits for their offshore investors.
- FNSF rely on trees to reduce the glare and visual impact of their plants. “Where we can’t plant trees, the visual impact is too much”, one resident was told. However, FNSF also confirmed that construction & operations would begin immediately and would not wait for trees to grow to provide screening. FNSF also acknowledge that even once trees are fully grown, the plant will always remain visible.
- FNSF met with the new owner before the site was sold (November/December 2022) and visited the site before the sale was complete. FNSF consider the proposal to be “a good business proposition” for the new landowner. They insist the land would still be grazed around the solar panels, although the rows of panels would be placed less than 2m apart. It appears the landowner has told FNSF that the farm is good for cropping and dry stock farming, but requires effort to farm because of its condition at the time of the sale.
- While residents have only been notified in the last week, discussions with Ngāi Tahu began “quite a long time ago”, although FNSF wouldn't say exactly when.
- FNSF have not yet made a consent application and do not have a connection agreement with TransPower - meaning it is still possible the plant won't go ahead.
Disinformation from FNSF?
As well as sharing the above disturbing-but-true information, it seems FNSF have also attempted to spread misleading information about the proposed power plant, described by them as the 'Waipara solar farm'. One resident contacted by FNSF was given a glossy handout about the proposal that FNSF later confessed was incorrect. Here’s what the handout said - and the truth…
- “Solar farms contain no moving parts so are quiet”. In fact John Andrews, General Manager of FNSF, confirmed that the plant would consist of ‘tracking’ panels, which move roughly every 15 minutes to maintain an optimum angle to the sun.
- “Solar panels will be mounted on steel framed structures… supported by driven piles… similar to building a vineyard”. In fact the steel frames, at around 2.7m high, would be almost twice the height of typical vineyard trellises. Panels would sit on top of these frames, with an overall height of approx. 5 meters.
- “The perimeter… will be fenced and screened from most view points by trees… so will have minimal visual impact”. In fact FNSF accept the plant will always be visible. Any limited screening won’t be in place for at least 5 years.
- The Waipara plant ‘will’ create renewable electricity. This appears to be a deliberate attempt to create the impression that consent is a foregone conclusion, and the plant “will” go ahead. In fact there is no certainty that consent will be granted. (Read here about concerns of other solar plant developers using a similar tactic.)
These errors and misleading statements serve as a timely reminder that claims made by FNSF about the impact of the plant need to be thoroughly fact-checked. FNSF eventually accepted that this handout shouldn't be used - so please do let us know if you received one.