Latest – We got funding! Big thanks to Selwyn District Council
We are delighted to announce that our project has secured EECA funding through Selwyn District Council (SDC) for a solar and battery system to be installed on the Castle Hill hall. We are 1 of 8 Selwyn based projects to have received EECA Community Renewable Energy Fund (CREF) funding via Selwyn District Council. We are awaiting more details on the exact funds and scope, but the plan is to be operational by mid to late 2026.
A very big thanks to Joe Gentilcore, SDC’s Climate Change Lead, who has been instrumental in helping us to secure the funding.
Our refined project scope is to build resilience at the community hall as this is the main Civil Defence hub for the Craigieburn Basin. During times of normal operation, the system (solar panels, battery, inverter) will offset SDC power costs by covering energy demand at the hall, possibly including street lighting and the fire truck. Any excess generation will be either stored in the battery or sold back to the grid. Over time, this will offset the initial investment by SDC, ongoing maintenance costs, as well as building significant resilience into the Civil Defence response for the basin.
On Tuesday 16 December 2025 we hosted a team from Orion, a team from University of Canterbury’s Electric Power Engineering Centre, Joe Gentilcore from SDC and Shay from Revolve Energy at the hall. Orion are sponsoring a technical feasibility study which will be carried out by Revolve. This will consider the requirements of the system as well as future proofing the system for any further energy resilience developments that the community may undertake. Orion have also involved the UC group who will use the project as a case study for resilience based solar and battery projects.
Project introduction
In mid 2024 a small group of homeowners from Castle Hill Village with an interest in energy sustainability started talking about solar projects at the Village as a way to reduce power prices and provide resilience for our community during emergencies.
A survey to guage interest for a community energy project was undertaken in October 2024, with enhancing resilience of the village the key objective for respondents. The results are here.
The concept of a community energy project in Castle Hill was accepted as part of the first Community Energy Activator, run in collaboration with Orion Energy, Ara Ake and the Community Energy Network from September – November 2024. It was the only Selwyn District based project of the 9 projects accepted. Read more about the pilot programme here and our project mentor, Bill Heaps, here. A summary of the pilot Activator programme by Ara Ake can be viewed here and the inspiring final presentations can be viewed here.
Aside from the now confirmed hall solar installation, we are also looking at ways to build resilience for the village as a whole, so keep an eye out for future communications.
Project objectives
- An off-grid, low carbon solution to support Castle Hill Village emergency response and recovery in the event of a disaster.
- Reducing/offsetting the carbon emissions of the Village and its associated infrastructure (e.g. fresh water and waste water treatment).
- Assessment of the feasibility of a “Virtual Power Plant” with grid stabilisation capabilities or community energy generation and sharing scheme. (Yet to be scoped – Phase 2).
Current panel installations in the village
On 2 March 2025, we held a Solar Walk to visit existing solar PV installations on homes around the village. If you missed it, download our online guide with information on the various solar systems, which you can follow in your own time.
Current focus – partnership building with Selwyn District Council
Late in October 2024, the project team presented to the Selwyn District Council (SDC) to gauge interest in local government support for this community initiative . The presentation can be viewed on YouTube starting at 20:18. The SDC Council minutes note the presentation on pages 2 and 13.
In late February 2025, SDC invited us back to brief Council in more depth. Councillors are in favour of the proposal and have requested a feasibility study to be undertaken by Council management. The briefing can be viewed on YouTube, starting at 1:29:49. The relevant section from the Council briefing paper is below.
Point of interest – our local grid exit point substation
The village is in close proximity to the 66kV power lines coming from the Coleridge power station, with the grid exit point (GXP) substation located close to the village, east of State Hwy 73 and south of the Thomas River.
Image from https://www.topomap.co.nz
Castle Hill Grid Exit Point (GXP) Substation. Credit: Bill Heaps
Media articles
Project contacts
Kate Hodgins, Dave Laurie and Helena Parsons
castlehillenergyproject @ gmail.com
