UK ROUNDUP: Canadian Solar sells portfolio, Cambridge Power, Lynher Energy project news

The sale involves a collocated project in Durham, northeast England, which includes 50MWp solar capacity and 38MW (76MWh) battery energy storage. The second project is a 28MWp standalone solar project in Warwickshire, in England’s Midlands region.

There are a number of economic advantages to collocated sites, the companies noted, including shared capital and operating costs, as well as benefits to the grid that help to ease renewable integration.

The Durham site is Canadian Solar’s first co-located solar PV and storage project in the UK, as well as the second co-located site acquired by Gresham House.

“Our decision to sell the two projects before construction is primarily aimed at obtaining immediate market recognition and it does not preclude Canadian Solar from building, alone or in partnerships, the next projects developed in the UK or in EMEA,” Canadian Solar CEO Dr Shawn Qu noted.

Both projects are entirely subsidy-free – in line with Canadian Solar’s wider pipeline of developments – and are fully permitted and construction-ready.

The company has 1.8GWp PV solar and 4.3GWh battery energy storage pipeline under development in the UK, having previously developed and interconnected 200MWp to the grid.

By Molly Lempriere

To read the full version of this story, visit Solar Power Portal where it was first published.

Brookfield Renewable partner Cambridge Power gets planning approval for 100MW BESS

UK-based developer, owner and builder of energy storage assets

Cambridge Power has secured planning permission for the construction of a 100MW battery energy storage system project (BESS).

The project will be located in Bramford, Suffolk in southern England and adds to the company’s growing portfolio. It follows another project secured earlier this year in Glasgow, Scotland, for a 29MW battery energy storage project.

Giles Hanglin, CEO of Cambridge Power, said: “We are delighted to secure planning permission for the BESS site in Bramford. Its location adjacent to the Bramford substation further adds to its credentials as an excellent storage site to assist with delivering the offshore wind and interconnectors on the east coast of Suffolk.”

Earlier this year Cambridge Power  signed a Framework Agreement with Brookfield Renewable to develop a new portfolio of solar and battery storage.

Under the agreement, both companies will develop 800MW of BESS and 185MW of co-located solar PV over the next five years.

By Jonathan Tourino Jacobo

This story first appeared on Solar Power Portal.

Napier Park Global Capital JV acquires rights to build UK solar, energy storage projects

Lynher Energy has acquired the rights to build two solar battery farms and two independent battery storage facilities at adjacent sites in the UK.

The joint venture between UK sustainable energy generation company Ethical Power and New York-headquartered alternative asset management group Napier Park Global Capital will develop an aggregated capacity of 96MW for the solar battery farms, while the standalone battery storage projects will have a capacity of 100MWh.

Chris Sparrow, principal at Napier Park, said: “This investment helps to close the gap between required energy generation and the investment necessary to achieve net zero carbon emissions aimed at successfully addressing the climate crisis.

“Napier Park and Ethical Power expect to invest further in these assets; and to fund additional important projects in the UK and in Europe.”

Earlier this year, the companies announced the joint venture, stating their goal to invest in large-scale solar and battery storage assets in the UK and Europe.

By Jonathan Tourino Jacobo

This story first appeared on Solar Power Portal.