The 373MW solar project is now the largest operating in the UK
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, a specialist global investment manager focused exclusively on the infrastructure needed for the energy transition, has announced successful completion of construction and the start of commercial operations of the solar asset at the landmark Cleve Hill Solar Park in Kent, UK. Cleve Hill is now exporting at 100 percent of its 373 MW dc capacity, which is more than four times the size of the next largest operational UK solar project. In May, electricity exports from Cleve Hill during the commissioning phase peaked at a level equivalent to 0.7 percent of the UK’s national power demand.
Cleve Hill was the first solar and battery storage project to be consented as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project ('NSIP'). The record breaking solar project is supported by the largest solar + battery storage project financing ever undertaken in the UK. As previously announced, Quinbrook closed a GBP 218.5 million term loan and a GBP 20 million VAT facility with Lloyds and NatWest.
Construction is also underway on a 150 MW co-located battery energy storage system (BESS) which on completion will make Cleve Hill the largest co-located solar plus storage project ever constructed in the UK power market.
'Cleve Hill sets a new benchmark for large-scale solar projects to help decarbonise the UK power system and demonstrates how investing in the infrastructure needed to transition the UK to clean energy can support local communities and create new jobs. Reaching commercial operations is a major technical, construction and financial achievement for our teams, our partners and our investors. Cleve Hill was not an easy project to build and we overcame many challenges along the way. The UK’s ongoing commitment to progress its energy transition and decarbonise the economy represents a strong conviction as a nation to a renewable energy future, one that is underpinned by a huge pipeline of large-scale infrastructure projects that will support growth, jobs and cheaper power for UK households,' said Keith Gains Managing Director and UK Regional Leader for Quinbrook
Cleve Hill was the UK’s first solar NSIP to be awarded a Contract for Difference ('CfD') by the UK Government-backed Low Carbon Contracts Company and secured the largest award for a UK solar project in Round 4 of the CfD auction scheme. Quinbrook also secured a long-term offtake agreement with Tesco PLC, the largest solar corporate PPA executed in the UK to date.
'Quinbrook is proud to further enhance our track record of successfully delivering milestone infrastructure projects that create such a meaningful and positive impact for the UK’s energy transition. Projects like Cleve Hill set new scale benchmarks that should increase confidence that the UK’s renewables targets can be achieved,' said Rory Quinlan, Quinbrook’s Co-Founder and Managing Partner.
Cleve Hill was granted development consent in May 2020 and commenced construction in early 2023. Quinbrook partnered with its development affiliate, Private Energy Partners, in the construction and commissioning of the project. Cleve Hill is expected to help reduce carbon emissions by more than 142,000 tonnes in the first year of operations. It is also expected to support over 2,500 direct and indirect jobs and generate more than GBP 114 million in local socio-economic benefits over its lifetime.
About Quinbrook
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners (http://www.quinbrook.com) is a specialist investment manager focused exclusively on the infrastructure needed to drive the energy transition in the UK, US, and Australia. Quinbrook is led and managed by a senior team of power industry professionals who have collectively invested c. USD 6.9 billion of equity capital in 40 GW of energy infrastructure assets representing a total transaction value of USD 29.8 billion. Quinbrook has completed a diverse range of direct investments in both utility and distributed scale onshore wind and solar power, battery storage, reserve peaking capacity, biomass, fugitive methane recovery, hydro and flexible energy management solutions in the UK, US, and Australia. Quinbrook is currently developing and constructing some of the largest renewables and storage infrastructure projects in the UK, US, and Australia.
Source: Quinbrook
