London-based solar developer, Lightsource Renewable Energy, has revealed that it connected over 300MW of PV capacity in March alone.
The developer energised 27 solar farms in the four weeks prior to renewable obligation (RO) support for >5MW projects being scrapped. The company’s performance ahead of the RO deadline means that it has taken a giant stride toward acheiving its target of owning 1GW of UK solar capacity.
The sites connected range in size from 4-30.9MW in size, with 15 of the sites sized over 11MW. Commenting on his company’s performance, Nick Boyle, CEO at Lightsource, said: “The last month’s efforts have been the culmination of a great deal of hard work and the results are testament to the skills and expertise of our extremely dedicated team.
“It’s been a year of uncertainty for many across the industry with plenty of hurdles along the way and many more to come, but we truly believe that solar energy is on the cusp of being able to deliver its full potential and that the future remains bright despite the challenges ahead. Solar has a significant role to play in the overall UK energy mix and this is clearly an exciting prospect.”
Lightsource has also confirmed that it has a 58MW portfolio of projects that qualified for the government’s RO grace period rules and will begin construction shortly.
The company confirmed that in lieu of RO support for larger solar plants it would pursue contracts for difference opportunities and <5MW projects supported by the RO scheme. In addition, the company has ring fenced £125 million of support for its newly-launched commercial rooftop division.
Lightsource is no stranger to the ‘March madness’ experienced in the solar industry ahead of changes in support levels for large-scale projects: a year ago, the company connected 26 solar farms totalling 227MW of capacity.