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Lauriston Solar Farm

Project Location:

Canterbury, New Zealand

Client Name:

Beon Energy Solutions

Project Description:

Our teams delivered the civil works, underground electrical installation, surveying, pile distribution and pile installation packages for the 63MWdc Lauriston Solar Farm, located north of Ashburton in Canterbury, New Zealand.


The works included trenching, underground cabling, HV installation, tracker foundations and associated electrical infrastructure to support the large-scale renewable energy development. At the time of completion, Lauriston Solar Farm was the largest solar farm in New Zealand.

Key Stats:

  • 63MWdc solar farm

  • 90,000 photovoltaic (PV) modules installed

  • DuraTrack HZ v3 ATI tracker system installed

  • Renewable energy for approximately 13,000 homes

6 Months

Duration

Challenge

  • Delivering our first major solar project in New Zealand on the country’s largest solar development to-date

  • Mobilising and developing a largely new local workforce

  • Harsh South Island weather and challenging ground conditions across the site

  • River stone ground conditions creating difficulties for pile installation activities

  • Adapting to project-specific tracker systems, installation requirements and varying pile steel characteristics while maintaining project delivery

Solution

  • Experienced personnel were employed from Australia to support project delivery and local workforce development in New Zealand

  • Additional training, supervision and quality controls were implemented across all work fronts

  • Excavators were adapted with auger drives, drilling attachments and hard-rock tooling to overcome challenging ground conditions

  • Close coordination between civil, electrical and piling teams maintained productivity and programme performance

  • Strong collaboration with local suppliers and project stakeholders supported efficient delivery across the site

Outcome

  • Civil, electrical and piling works delivered on time and within budget

  • Successfully delivered our first major solar project in New Zealand

  • Developed local workforce capability and established operational experience within the region

  • Established first OCU Group (ANZ) office and plant yard in New Zealand

  • Achieved high-quality installation standards across civil, electrical and foundation works

  • Strengthened our relationship with Beon Energy Solutions through successful project delivery

  • Demonstrated the ability of our teams to overcome challenging ground conditions through practical engineering solutions

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