2022-03-01 10:19:02
Anesco has secured planning approval for a trio of solar farms in the UK, as investor appetite for large scale solar and storage projects continues to soar.
Construction of the first solar farm, High Meadow 2, a 10MW solar development in Stockton-on-Tees, will get underway in April. While ground will be broken on the two remaining solar farms - Moat Farm, a 25MW solar farm in Aylesbury and Woodwalton, a 20MW development in Cambridgeshire - by the end of the year.
All three sites will benefit from an advanced biodiversity management plan, which will see a significant net gain of 173% achieved at High Meadow and 216% at Moat Farm. Enhancements will include the planting of hedgerows, wildflower meadows and the introduction of other measures designed to create habitats for local wildlife and at-risk bird species.
The solar farms form part of a 600MW pipeline of new solar and storage projects that Anesco has at the planning and ready to build stage. This includes a 20MW solar farm in Derbyshire, a 50MW solar farm in Lincolnshire and two battery storage facilities with a combined capacity of 100MW, being built by Anesco for two investors.
Part of Anesco’s pipeline of projects will be sold to Gresham House through a 200MW, ground mount solar development and construction partnership, valued in excess of £100 million, which was signed last year.
Mark Futyan, Anesco CEO, commented: “If the UK is to successfully transition to net zero then it’s vital we have the renewable infrastructure needed to decarbonise the energy network. That means solar and storage being built at speed in the coming years.
“At Anesco, we’re delighted to be playing our part in helping accelerate this transition. Interest in our end-to-end capabilities continues to grow among investors and we expect to secure several more development and construction partnerships this year, similar to the one we have in place with Gresham House.”
Anesco has constructed more than 100 solar farms and 30 energy storage facilities in the UK and Europe to date, while its O&M service is monitoring more than 24,000 sites.