Genesis Energy advances 271MWp Rangiriri solar farm, expanding renewable portfolio

Genesis Energy has announced plans to acquire and develop a 271MWp solar farm near Rangiriri, Waikato, marking one of the country’s largest and most advanced renewable energy projects to date.

The acquisition is conditional on vendor deliverables expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The consented site is strategically located between Auckland and Transpower’s planned new 220kV substation at Glen Murray and close to Genesis’s 200MWh battery project at Huntly Power Station, currently under construction. Together, these assets will help Genesis integrate solar generation with battery storage and reduce reliance on gas generation.

Once operational, the Rangiriri solar farm is expected to generate around 437 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity annually — enough to power approximately 54,600 homes.

Genesis Chief Operating Officer, Tracey Hickman, said the project represents another key step in the company’s renewable strategy.

“Rangiriri represents an exciting milestone in delivering our Gen35 strategy,” Hickman said. “It leverages the flexibility of our assets at Huntly Power Station, specifically our new grid-scale battery, in addition to making our hydro schemes more valuable as flexible, long-duration storage that balances intermittent solar generation and battery discharge. We’re funding this project through our balance sheet, which reflects confidence in long-term value creation while maintaining financial flexibility to ensure we are managing capital in the best interests of our shareholders.”

The vendor is PGP, an international solar farm developer.

The project, estimated to cost around $487 million, is expected to reach a Final Investment Decision (FID) in mid-FY27, with first generation targeted for 2029.

With Rangiriri added to its portfolio, Genesis now has a circa 700MWp pipeline of advanced solar projects, supporting its Gen35 goal of delivering up to 500MWp of solar generation to complement its hydro assets and help decarbonise New Zealand’s energy system.

www.genesisenergy.com