One New Zealand has completed its first major onsite renewable energy project, with rooftop solar panels now installed at its Christchurch data centre, helping power the digital infrastructure at what is hoped to be Aotearoa’s most connected stadium.
When One NZ customers and fans stream, share, post and connect inside the soon-to-open One NZ Stadium, a large part of that connectivity will be backed by locally generated solar energy.
The new solar installation will power the Christchurch data centre and a nearby mobile site, which provides coverage to the adjacent One NZ Stadium.
This includes 142 rooftop-mounted 580W solar panels configured across seven arrays, supported by a 110kW three-phase solar inverter. At peak output, the system can generate up to 90kW of clean electricity, which is expected to be almost enough to power the company’s central Christchurch technology site and the mobile site serving One NZ Stadium on a bright sunny day.
The installation marks a new chapter in One NZ’s Sustainability Kaupapa – focused on creating a better connected, greener Aotearoa – and supports the company’s progress towards achieving its science-based climate targets, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as aligned with a 1.5°C pathway.
Purchased electricity represents approximately 70% of One NZ’s operational emissions footprint and remains the company’s most material source of directly controlled greenhouse gas emissions, with a goal to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
Nicky Preston, Head of Sustainability & Corporate Affairs at One NZ, says the project brings together climate action and connectivity. “As a digital infrastructure provider, purchased electricity is a major part of our emissions profile. Addressing it is essential to meet our science-based targets and reducing long-term climate risk.
“It’s fitting that our first major onsite solar project helps power the digital infrastructure behind One NZ Stadium. We want it to be Aotearoa’s most connected stadium, and we’re proud that connectivity will be supported by renewable energy generated right here in Christchurch.”
To help achieve its sustainability goals, One NZ began using Meridian Energy’s Certified Renewable Energy product in April 2024 to support 100% renewable energy generation throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. This shift contributed to a 64% year-on-year reduction in Scope 1, 2 and selected Scope 3 emissions in FY25 (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025), including a 94% reduction in electricity-related emissions.
The project complements One NZ’s renewable electricity procurement strategy by adding more onsite generation that supports energy resilience while further reducing reliance on grid-supplied power. Already a number of mobile sites have onsite solar generation, such as its off-grid sites at Great Barrier Island.
Further rooftop solar opportunities are being assessed across the company’s property and network footprint as demand for digital services to continue to grow, with customers using 18% more mobile data over the past year.
For more information about One NZ’s sustainability approach, please visit: https://one.nz/our-company/corporate-responsibility/
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For more information:
Nicky Preston, Head of Sustainability & Corporate Affairs
021 445 295
nicky.preston@one.nz
