We Say/You Say: Solar Farms
Kia ora neighbours,
What do you think the next steps should be for decarbonisation?
Jacinda Ardern has officially opened what is going to be the largest solar farm in the country.
The 12 hectare site in Pukenui will contain 32,000 solar panels and is set to cost $30 million. The farm will generate enough electricity to power 3000 homes in the Far North.
Ardern acknowledged the difficulty to move away from fossil fuels. With hydro lake storage down, the country will turn to coal to fulfil winter energy needs.
"Removing fossil fuels from our electricity system is a big step, it requires major changes in the way we do things and investment in new technologies," she said.
The panels will last for 30 years before needing to be replaced as part of the scheme. Regular maintenance required to keep up to industry standards will create five full-time positions for the solar farm.
What do you think about the project? Share your thoughts below and don't forget to type NFP if you don't want your comments featured in the conversations section of the Northern News.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Merry Christmas
Howdy Neighbours
Merry Christmas to one and all.
Hope you all have a enjoyable Xmas day and all the best for 2025.
Thanks to all our past and present clients. Looking forward to working with you again.
Take care out there from the team at Nick The Builder 🔨