Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG) and Enso Energy have announced a joint venture to develop an initial 1 GW pipeline of solar and battery projects in the UK. The two companies have “identified an ambitious pipeline of projects” that are currently in development and say that the solar farms will operate on a subsidy-free basis and backed by power purchase agreements (PPAs).
The initial projects are “grid secured” and are in the process of being submitted for planning approval, GIG said. This includes projects across England and Wales, where community consultations are currently being held. In a company statement, GIG said: “Many of these projects will use newly available tracking and bifacial solar technology to ensure that the energy produced per hectare is maximised thereby reducing the physical footprint of each project.”
Solar projects will also be equipped with battery energy storage technology, providing them with a more flexible output, address demand during peak periods as well as provide auxiliary services to the grid. “Projects like these will play an important role in helping the UK meet its commitment to end its contribution to climate change by 2050,” GIG said.
“Both Macquarie’s Green Investment Group and Enso Energy are totally committed to an ambitious programme of large-scale solar development,” said Ian Harding and Andrew King, co-founders of Enso Energy. “This partnership brings together two organisations that share the same vision, to dramatically accelerate the delivery of the benefits of low-cost solar energy to communities up and down the country.”
