The Cleve Hill Solar Park, located in Kent, has officially entered commercial operation, marking a significant milestone in the UK's renewable energy transition. The project, developed by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, boasts a 373 MW solar capacity and a 150 MW co-located battery energy storage system (BESS), making it the largest solar and battery storage installation in the UK.

Project Details

The Cleve Hill project is more than four times larger than any other operating solar project in the country. During its commissioning phase, the park reached output levels equivalent to 0.7 percent of the UK's total electricity demand. The project was also the first solar plus storage project to be approved under the UK's Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) regime.

Financial Impact

The project's development was supported by a GBP 218.5 million (USD 300 million) term loan, along with a GBP 20 million (27.5 million) VAT facility from major lenders Lloyds and NatWest. Quinbrook has also locked in a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tesco PLC, making it the largest corporate solar PPA in the UK to date.

Industry Significance

The project sets a new benchmark for what large-scale solar projects can achieve in supporting decarbonisation and local communities. The UK government aims to achieve 45-47 GW of solar capacity by 2030, and the Cleve Hill project is a significant step towards meeting this goal. As of Q1 2025, the UK achieved a total solar capacity of 18 GW, with the country adding 1.2 GW of solar capacity in 2024, marking a 7.5 percent increase from the previous year. The completion of the Cleve Hill project is a landmark moment for the UK's clean energy transition, demonstrating that the country's renewables goals are achievable with projects of this scale.

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