Trina Solar, a global leader in smart PV and energy storage solutions, has announced the successful completion of the Kohira solar farm in collaboration with Lodestone Energy, the largest solar farm in New Zealand to date. This is the first Trina Solar project in the Oceania region to integrate both Trina Solar modules and TrinaTracker (a business unit of Trina Solar) smart tracking systems.
Covering 640,000 square meters in Kaitaia, the solar farm includes 61,000 Trina Solar Vertex 550W bifacial dual-glass panels on TrinaTracker Vanguard 2P smart tracking systems, with 33MW DC capacity. This farm marks a major stride toward New Zealand's renewable energy targets, expected to generate around 55GWh annually, powering over 7,770 households.
The integration of Trina Solar’s ultra-high-power bifacial modules with Vanguard 2P trackers, powered by a smart algorithm optimizing the tracking angle, ensures maximum energy generation. Additionally, ample space between panel rows and a 6.5 foot tracker height facilitates agrivoltaic farming, allowing solar energy generation alongside agricultural activities. This is crucial in markets like New Zealand with large agricultural industries, coupled with increasingly scarce land resources.
This project underscores Trina Solar’s commitment to providing total solutions for smart energy. Installers benefit from having a single procurement source, which streamlines processes and enables faster delivery, smoother negotiations and unified after-sales service. This reduces costs and ensures efficiency, particularly in challenging site conditions.
Edison Zhou, Head of Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands states, "Our partnership has been characterized by close collaboration from the technical design phase to commissioning, overcoming challenges such as the cohesionless soil at the site. This is where the Vanguard 2P tracker’s low foundation count, and our partnership with Lodestone Energy on foundation design, enabled us to overcome this obstacle together. We eagerly anticipate future collaborations, and are committed to delivering technological excellence – including modules, trackers, and energy storage systems – to advance New Zealand's zero-carbon future."
Gary Holden, Managing Director of Lodestone Energy states, "Our third solar farm at Waiotahe is currently under construction, utilizing the latest Trina Solar panels and trackers again for optimal production. Our collaboration with Trina Solar enables us to fulfill our goal of supplying renewable energy solutions to more consumers in New Zealand, meeting their sustainability goals while ensuring economic stability."
