Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has announced the commercial operation of the 373-MW Cleve Hill Solar Park in the UK, marking a significant milestone in the country’s renewable energy sector. This solar-plus-storage project is now the largest of its kind in the UK, boasting a 150-MW co-located battery energy storage system. During its commissioning phase, Cleve Hill peaked at a level equivalent to 0.7% of the UK’s national power demand, underscoring its substantial capacity.
Cleve Hill stands out as the first solar and battery storage project to be consented under the UK’s Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) program. The project secured the largest solar-plus-battery storage project financing ever undertaken in the UK, supported by a $218.5-million-pound term loan and a $20-million-pound VAT facility from Lloyds and NatWest. This financial backing highlights the growing confidence in large-scale renewable energy projects.
Keith Gains, managing director and UK regional leader for Quinbrook, emphasized the project’s significance: “Cleve Hill sets a new benchmark for large-scale solar projects to help decarbonize 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.” He acknowledged the challenges faced during the project’s development, stating, “Reaching commercial operations is a major technical, construction and financial achievement for our teams, our partners and our investors.”
The UK’s commitment to its energy transition and decarbonization efforts is evident in projects like Cleve Hill. Gains noted, “The UK’s ongoing commitment to progress its energy transition and decarbonize 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.”
Cleve Hill was the UK’s first solar NSIP to be awarded a Contract for Difference (CfD) by the UK’s government-backed Low Carbon Contracts Company. It also secured the largest award for a UK solar project in Round 4 of the CfD auction scheme. Quinbrook has further solidified its commitment to renewable energy by securing a long-term offtake agreement with Tesco PLC, the largest solar corporate Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) executed in the UK to date.
Rory Quinlan, Quinbrook’s co-founder and managing partner, expressed pride in the project’s impact: “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.”
The development consent for Cleve Hill was granted in May 2020, with construction beginning in early 2023. Quinbrook partnered with Private Energy Partners, its development affiliate, for the construction and commissioning of the project.
The successful completion of Cleve Hill Solar Park signals a pivotal moment for the UK’s renewable energy landscape. As the largest solar-plus-storage project in the country, it sets a precedent for future large-scale renewable energy developments. The project’s financial and technical achievements, coupled with its significant capacity, demonstrate the viability and potential of renewable energy in meeting the UK’s decarbonization goals. This development is likely to spur further investment and innovation in the sector, accelerating the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.