Te Rangi Paki o Ngātiwai Solar Energy Project
Hubands Energy Partnership
Hubands Energy is very proud to partner up with Te Poari o Ngātiwai to supply and install grid-connected solar panels on 8 Ngatiwai Marae's in Northland through the Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment’s Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund. Work on this project will commence over the coming months and we look forward to seeing these Marae producing their own power for many years to come. For more information please read the media release below.
Media Release Friday 8 July 2022
NGĀTIWAI LAUNCH ‘TE RANGI PAKI O NGĀTIWAI’ SOLAR ENERGY PROJECT
Te Poari o Ngātiwai has secured funding through the Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment’s Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund to provide solar panels to 8 Ngātiwai Marae and an establish iwi virtual power hub in association with Nau Mai Rā – Māori Power Company.
Heamana Aperahama Kerepeti – Edwards shares ‘Te Rangi Paki o Ngātiwai is taken from a day to day expression regarding sunny days. It could be translated as a fine day shining on Te Iwi o Ngātiwai. Power security is a major issue for our peoples, securing solar power for our marae lifts a burden from our hard working Marae Committees”.
‘Te Rangi Paki o Ngātiwai partners with local businesses’ adds Raukura CEO Huhana Lyndon. ‘In preparing our application we worked alongside Whangārei business Huband’s Energy and reached out to our cousins at Nau Mai Rā to super charge our application for funding’.
Ngātiwai Marae from Whangaruru (Tūparehuia, Ngāiotonga, Otetao Reti, Oakura, Mōkau), Matapōuri, Ngunguru (Tūtūkākā) and in the south Omaha (Pākiri) are partner marae of Te Rangi Paki o Ngātiwai.
‘We are excited to have solar panels installed on our marae, it will be a great help for our marae committee. The savings will be immense for us.’ States Marlene Greene, Chairperson of Ngunguru Marae, Tūtūkākā.
Huhana Lyndon adds ‘The ability for our people to connect into the virtual power hub will deliver savings into the homes of participating whānau. Te Rangi Paki o Ngātiwai is a part of a wider Ngātiwai Housing Strategy currently under development.
The 12-month project will see the installation of solar panels onto the 8-participating marae, and a program of engagement across the district to recruit local households to join the Ngātiwai virtual power hub through Nau Mai Rā.
Te Poari o Ngātiwai recognises the work of the Te Paniora Hiko Project on Aotea Great Barrier to support the local marae and whānau and Whananaki Marae all receiving support via Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund.