Solar Farm Plan in Helensville

A New Zealand-owned, UK-operated company HES Aoteroa has plans to contract a 100-hectare Solar farm, Northwest of Auckland town in Helensville. A resource consent to install 82,000 glass panels has been applied, with enough electricity to power 14,000 Auckland homes.

This project envisions to bring greater security and stability towards electricity supply and prices. HES Aoteroa also mentioned that the construction process to take around 9 months. Unfortunately, many locals have come forward and announced their disapproval towards this project and the effects it has towards the scenery and landscape.

HES Aoteroa argues against objectors stating energy consumption is increasing as electric cars and scooters are becoming the norm, embracing all those things means that people will have no choice but to embrace solar and windfarms. Furthermore, Joe Holden, someone who is in favor of this project mentioned that in a climate emergency and after rolling power outages last year, he would much rather deal with something that was not "pretty" than the insanity of importing coal, or running hydro-schemes that take a toll on river ecology. He also adds that "a solar farm on the outskirts of the city is not the end of the world".

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/462286/helensville-solar-farm-plan-faces-some-local-opposition