Aotearoa New Zealand’s goal is to produce all electricity from renewable sources by 2030 to help fight climate change and solar farms will play a key role in that transition. However, solar farming is a good choice in New Zealand for many reasons:
- Solar energy is plentiful in New Zealand. Tapping into this locally available, renewable resource means we can sustainably produce more electricity to meet our increasing demand.
- Solar farms can help preserve natural landscapes, ecosystems, and biodiversity by utilising low-quality or previously developed land. They are a low-impact, sustainable land use.
- Solar farms increase our energy resilience, diversify our sources, and ensure a reliable, decentralised electricity supply in New Zealand. This is especially important given our vulnerability to natural disasters and climate-related events that cause widespread blackouts.
- Regional New Zealand benefits from development and sustainable job creation. Solar farms are typically developed in regional areas, and they need local skilled employees for installation, maintenance, and operational roles.
- Solar farms enhance energy security by reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels, avoiding vulnerability to price fluctuations and supply disruptions from overseas markets.