It has recently appeared that a US solar farm developer has been purchased by New Zealand's largest generator of renewable electricity, Meridian Energy.

Thursday saw the company declaring that a San Francisco-based Cleantech America - a firm specializing in the development of utility scale solar farms - has been bought by it.

This is for the first time that the company has had solar energy in its portfolio, said Meridian CEO Tim Lusk.

He continued that an opportunity to put renewable energy projects in place in California, and develop New Zealand's solar energy market, would be provided to Meridian via this deal.

It should be noted that a five-megaWatt photovoltaic solar facility in Mendota, California, which is the first utility-scale solar energy project of its type to be approved by Californian authorities, is included in the deal.

It will be via a long term agreement that the electricity would be sold to Pacific Gas & Electricity. It should be noted that trading would be continued by Cleantech America under its name, and it will keep its base in San Francisco.