Nexans New Zealand Solar Project

New Plymouth Factory Solar Installation

Nexans New Zealand is spearheading the transition to use of 100% renewable energy for the New Plymouth plant by constructing a solar farm on the Bell Block site.

The project commenced in late 2023 with site preparation and ground works. The ground solar installation is 1MW, and over 1,600 solar panels enable up to 1.3GW of generation. This offsets approximately one third of the factory's electricity needs, with surplus electricity being cycled back to the grid.

The solar farm was operational in July 2024 and officially opened one month later on August 14.

Renewable generation goals...

The New Plymouth Plant has already switched to 100% renewable energy purchasing through Ecotricity and RE100 EAC (Energy Accredited Certificates). The addition of the solar farm will enable a greater reduction of C02 emissions - up to 170 tonnes - which has momentous impact, especially for a business in the manufacturing sector.

The project goes one step further by ustilising cables made from recycled copper conductor in the installation.

Opting for a solar PPA over a cash purchase allowed Nexans to implement solar energy solutions without the significant upfront capital expenditure. A PPA provides the flexibility to pay for the solar energy generated over time, reducing financial risk, and freeing up capital for other critical investments. Additionally, the PPA model ensures maintenance and monitoring of the solar system, enhancing its efficiency and reliability.

The facilitation of this process and development through NuGreen really enabled a transparent and efficient model to understand, conceptualise, and showcase the benefits of implementation for our sustainability journey.

Discover our solar project