Global renewable energy company Low Carbon has reached financial close on a 385MW portfolio of solar and co-located battery storage projects in the UK.
The portfolio, which is set to enter construction in early 2024, will be delivered by international EPC contractor Equans, though its subsidiary Bouygues Energies and Services, and Elmya. Trina Storage will provide the battery energy storage systems (BESS) for the portfolio.
Low Carbon confirmed that 290MW of the portfolio will specifically be solar power. Thus, 95MW of the capacity will consist of co-located two-hour duration BESS, Steve Mack, chief investment officer at Low Carbon highlighted.
Mack stated that the team is “particularly excited” to begin constructing the co-located BESS highlighting that it is a “key enabling technology that will help accelerate the transition”.
He added: “The deployment of storage alongside our solar assets is an efficient use of limited grid capacity and will support the UK’s efforts to tackle climate change.”
Low Carbon eyes 3GW UK portfolio
As previously reported by Solar Power Portal, Low Carbon is aiming to develop a 3GW portfolio of solar and battery storage in a bid to become one of the leading independent power producers (IPP).
This target has seen the company secure or energise a number of projects over the course of last year. For instance, the company energised its 22MW Fox Covert Solar Farm, based in Buckinghamshire, in October 2023. This was the first to be brought online from its 3GW portfolio.
The renewable energy company also announced plans to develop an energy park in North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, which includes 400MW of solar and 600MW of energy storage.
The proposed Beacon Fen Energy Park would include the construction of infrastructure in order to export electricity from the park to the national grid. This would be provided via an existing grid connection at Bicker Fen.
As regular readers of Solar Power Portal will be aware, the size of the project means that it would classify as a nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP).
Solar Power Portal’s publisher Solar Media will host the UK Solar Summit on 4-5 June 2024 in London. The event will explore UK’s new landscape for utility and rooftop solar, looking at the opportunities within a GW+ annual market, and much more. For more information, go to the website.