Pukenui Solar Farm is a 21 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) solar farm located on the outskirts of Pukenui, in Northland, New Zealand.
Construction on the site started in 2024 and the plant was energised and commissioned in 2025. Pukenui Solar Farm will supply enough electricity to power more than 2,000 homes each year, supporting the region and contributing to New Zealand’s renewable energy future.
Consisting of 35,000 545w solar panels and five inverters, the solar farm converts the sun’s energy into renewable electricity and provides that to the national grid via the nearby Pukenui substation.
During construction, the project created approximately 30 jobs and throughout its operations the plant will provide three ongoing jobs.
The Pukenui Solar Farm is owned Aquila Clean Energy APAC, a clean energy platform headquartered in Singapore.
Locally, the Aquila Clean Energy New Zealand team, together with their regional colleagues, is developing a 580 MW pipeline of utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power projects across New Zealand.
The solar farm is located on the outskirts of Pukenui, in the Far North district of New Zealand.
There are a few key attributes that make an ideal site for a solar farm.
The first is relatively flat land. This helps with installation but also with reducing the visual impact as the solar panels which make up the farm can be screened by trees.
Another is proximity to a connection point with the power grid. Solar farms need to be able to connect to the grid to input their power – like an extension cord plugging into a wall socket.
The Pukenui solar farm shares both of these attributes, making it an ideal location for a solar farm.
Photon Energy Group is the operations and maintenance contractor covering daily operations. Aquila Clean Energy APAC is the asset manager overseeing all site operations.
Please reach out via the contact us page.
The ongoing operation and maintenance of the Pukenui Solar Farm is managed by Photon Energy. Staffing requirements are relatively low once the site is operational. If opportunities do arise, Photon Energy is well connected within the local community and will look locally where possible.
Pukenui solar farm was fully commissioned in October 2025.
At Aquila Clean Energy, public safety is a core priority across every stage of our projects in New Zealand – from development and construction through to operations and maintenance. Guided by our Public Safety Management System and aligned with New Zealand’s Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, Electricity Act 1992, and NZS 7901 industry standard, we are committed to identifying, assessing, and managing risks so far as is reasonably practicable.
Our approach includes rigorous risk management processes, regular audits and reviews, emergency preparedness planning, clear site signage, secure asset design, and ongoing engagement with local communities, iwi, emergency services, and other stakeholders. We continuously monitor and improve our systems to help ensure our renewable energy assets operate safely and responsibly, protecting both people and property while supporting New Zealand’s clean energy future.
Please contact us with any questions or concerns.
For safety reasons, public access is not permitted. However, we occasionally consider supervised visits for schools or community groups, subject to approvals and safety protocols. Please reach out to us via the contact us form if you would like to discuss visiting.
As much as a quarter of New Zealand’s electricity is currently generated by burning fossil fuels. If we are to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and the negative threat of climate change, that needs to change. NZ has committed to an aspirational target of 100% renewable electricity generation by 2030. With rising demand for electricity, the country is in desperate need of new renewable energy generation technologies such as solar power if it is to meet its obligations and protect future generations.
Compared to hydro power generation, solar farms are relatively simple and cost-effective to construct. The technology involved in transforming the sun’s energy into a resource we can use via solar panels is quiet, efficient, and most importantly support our country’s carbon neutral goals. Diversifying the country’s electricity production capacity by building solar farms means our supply is more resilient. If water in the hydro lakes areas is running low, often in summer months when there are high sunshine hours, solar generation can pick up the slack. By having solar energy generation available during daylight hours, existing hydro resources are also more available to deploy during the morning and evening demand peaks.
Solar farms sell their electricity to the domestic wholesale market and do not set the price for consumers.
International studies have found that solar projects do not lead to a pattern of large-scale negative effects on nearby property values. Communities around the world, with much higher population densities than rural New Zealand, live comfortably around solar farm sites.
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