
Global investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has acquired the 350MW Mallard Pass solar PV project.
Mallard Pass was brought through planning by a joint venture between Windel Energy and Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar, and is the second solar nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) that Quinbrook has taken on, with its 373MW solar + 150MW battery storage project, Cleve Hill, nearing the end of construction.
Mallard Pass will cover 880 hectares of land on either side of the East Coast Main Line near Essendine, partly in South Kesteven in Lincolnshire and partly in Rutland. It is to be connected to the grid via the existing Ryhall substation.
No financial details about the acquisition have been publicised, but the development is valued at £240 million.
Quinbrook says it will use its experience from the Cleve Hill project in overseeing construction of Mallard Pass, which is due to begin in 2026. Operations at Mallard Pass are expected to commence in 2028.
Cleve Hill was the UK’s first NSIP to secure a Contract for Difference in allocation round 4, and in November 2024 Quinbrook announced it had secured the UK’s largest ever solar power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tesco for the project.
Mallard Pass was consented by energy secretary Ed Miliband in July last year. Quinbrook says that, as it did with Cleve Hill, it will prioritise the local and regional benefits it can bring to the community; having delivered a 67% biodiversity net gain at Cleve Hill, Quinbrook aims to deliver a 71% biodiversity net gain at Mallard Pass. Preliminary analysis suggests Mallard Pass could also present significant employment opportunities, supporting over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs during its lifetime.
Managing director and UK regional leader for Quinbrook Keith Gains said: “Mallard Pass represents another value-add investment opportunity for Quinbrook in large scale solar. Quinbrook plans to leverage our extensive global experience in large-scale renewables development, construction and operations to bring high-quality solar technology and innovation to Mallard Pass including its demand-side capacity potential.”
Quinbrook and its affiliate Private Energy Partners will now proceed with detailed design, procurement and construction planning.