Contact Energy and Lightsource bp Commission 150 MW Kōwhai Park Solar Farm at Christchurch Airport

Electricity from the South Island's largest solar farm is already flowing to industry, with Christchurch Airport and dairy processor Synlait both signed up to long-term power purchase agreements with the newly opened Kōwhai Park facility.

Long-Term Power Deals Anchor the New Solar Farm to Industrial Users

Synlait will purchase 25 percent of the electricity generated, directing it to its Dunsandel and Dairyworks sites. The USD 273 million project, developed by Contact Energy and Lightsource bp in a joint venture, officially opened on 15 October 2026, with Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon performing the honors.

The farm adds 150 MWac, or 168 MWdc, of renewable generation capacity to New Zealand's electricity system and is expected to produce 275 GWh of renewable energy annually, matching the yearly electricity demand of roughly 36,000 homes.

Contact CEO Mike Fuge said the project shows what renewable generation can offer the country. New Zealand has an incredible renewable energy advantage, he said, and building new generation at scale gives businesses the confidence to electrify while strengthening security of supply, a more resilient energy system supported by more homegrown generation. Fuge also described huge aspirations for what renewable energy can deliver for the country.

A first completed solar farm for Contact, a first New Zealand project for Lightsource bp

Kōwhai Park carries particular significance for both development partners. For Contact Energy, it is the company's first completed solar farm, and it has another two consented sites in Taranaki and Northland being progressed in a joint venture with Lightsource bp. For Lightsource bp, the facility is the company's first completed project in New Zealand.

Adam Pegg, Chief Operating Officer for Asia-Pacific at Lightsource bp, called the opening an important milestone, saying the company was excited to bring its global experience and capability to this market and to work with Contact Energy to deliver low-cost and reliable large-scale renewable energy projects. Pegg credited the partnerships behind the build, noting that working alongside Contact Energy, Christchurch Airport, local businesses and the wider community combined international capability with local knowledge to deliver a project providing renewable energy for decades to come.

He added that Lightsource bp sees significant opportunity for large-scale renewables to support New Zealand's growing electricity needs, industrial electrification and long-term energy security, and that the company looks forward to building on the momentum Kōwhai Park demonstrates across New Zealand.

Globally, Lightsource bp is an independent power producer delivering end-to-end onshore renewable energy and battery storage solutions. Operating across three regions, the company has 14.2GW developed and a global development pipeline exceeding 52GW.

Airport land put to a new use as a renewable energy precinct

The solar farm occupies 230 hectares of Christchurch International Airport land, where around 300,000 solar panels stretch across the site. Airport Chief Executive Justin Watson said Kōwhai Park shows what can happen when airport land is used differently, and that the vision began at Christchurch Airport with bringing Contact Energy and Lightsource bp together to realise it.

Watson described seeing the solar farm operating as a significant step towards that vision and something the airport is incredibly proud to have delivered with its partners. He stressed that for the airport this has always been about more than a solar farm: the vision for Kōwhai Park is to create a renewable energy precinct that can support new opportunities and deliver long-term value for the region.

Construction delivered Canterbury jobs and business

The build itself brought measurable local economic gains. At its peak the project employed 235 people, and 66 Canterbury businesses were involved in helping to construct it.

From 2021 announcement to 2026 opening

The path to completion spanned nearly five years. Christchurch Airport announced Kōwhai Park in December 2021, with phase one planned as a 150 MW solar array. In February 2023, Contact and Lightsource bp were confirmed as partners to develop and operate the farm. Commissioning got underway in August 2026, ahead of the official opening in October 2026.

Contact's wider renewables programme

Kōwhai Park sits within a broader build-out by Contact Energy, which operates 37 sites nationwide across geothermal, hydro, battery and thermal assets and serves more than 690,000 customer connections across electricity, gas, broadband and mobile.

The company has committed more than USD 2.4 billion over the past five years to renewable energy infrastructure, including three new geothermal power stations, two grid-scale batteries and two solar farms. Since 2020, Contact has grown from a USD 6 billion to a USD 13 billion company, supporting jobs and businesses in almost every region of New Zealand.