Hau Ariki Marae has won government funding to install solar panels and a storage battery system – ensuring it can act as an Emergency Assistance Centre for Martinborough during crisis events.
Full funding for the equipment and its installation comes from the Community Renewable Energy Fund, operated by the Ministry of Business Innovation & Employment (MBIE).
“Gaining this funding for solar panels and batteries will strengthen Hau Ariki Marae’s ability to be an Emergency Assistance Centre (EAC) for the council to call on during crisis events,” said marae committee chairman Kevin Haunui.
The equipment means “we will be more energy resilient to support our local whānau and wider community in such times,” he added.
Council chief executive Janice Smith noted the “funding is a great outcome for our district and we are really grateful for Hau Ariki’s willingness to take in the public during emergencies as well as being an incredibly important place for the community all of the time.”
The council assisted the marae with its funding application, with the successful funding bid announced last month by MBIE.
“We highly value Hau Ariki and our other two treasured marae in the district, Papawai in Greytown and Kohunui at Pirinoa, for the imperative roles they play in supporting their communities,” Smith said.
It’s understood both Papawai and Kohunui will also seek solar systems funding from the Community Renewable Energy Fund, operated by MBIE.
The government has committed $28 million to support community renewable energy projects via the fund, which has expanded on the Māori and Public Housing Renewable Energy Fund, initially launched in 2020.
Timeframes for the installation of the solar panels have yet to be confirmed. Details of the storage battery system and its capacity were not available at press time.
