We are deeply committed to unlocking the renewable energy in Northland. We are building and operating solar farms in Northland to benefit Northlanders.

Te Puna Mauri ō Omaru is the first community-owned solar farm over 10MW in Aotearoa New Zealand, with the capacity to power 3,000 customers’ homes per year. It represents a $25M investment in renewable generation for Northland, enhances energy resilience and economic returns while supporting Aotearoa New Zealand’s energy transition.

The successful delivery of this project extends beyond financial returns and locally owned infrastructure – it’s also enhancing relationships and building local skills and businesses. Contributing to the regions economic growth and sustainability.

Our iwi partners were heavily involved during the design and construction of Northpower’s Te Puna ō Mauri solar farm. As part of our commitment to mana whenua, we procured from local mana whenua and actively engaged Te Uri o Hau hapū as a key stakeholder in the project. From initial land acquisition, throughout the construction and commissioning process, Northpower worked closely alongside Te Uri o Hau, ensuring open dialogue and engagement occurred at all steps of the project.

The solar farm was gifted the name ‘Te Puna Mauri ō Omaru’ (meaning ‘the energy source of Omaru (safe haven), the original name of the whenua of its Ruawai location)

Over $5 million was spent with locally, procuring goods, services and employing people, providing a substantial boost to the local economy and supporting local businesses, contractors and suppliers. The project provided genuine employment and skills-building opportunities for local people. By engaging talent locally, we employed more than 50 local workers during the construction phase, many gaining new skills and careers pathways.

By investing in local infrastructure, we are proud to provide tangible social and economic growth opportunities for New Zealand

Read more from the Annual Report 2025