German power company RWE has signed its first UK-based solar power purchase agreement (PPA) with the UK subsidiary of Kerry Group.
As part of the agreement, RWE will supply energy from its UK solar projects Cotmoor, located in Nottinghamshire, and Copse Lodge in Northamptonshire, via two separate financial pay-as-produced PPAs, which will last for over 10 years.
Each of the projects has a potential installed capacity of 49.9 megawatts (MWac) with the first, Cotmoor, having already achieved Financial Investment Decision (FID) and beginning full construction works this year. Copse Lodge Solar Farm is expected to follow in 2025.
Olaf Lubenow, head of commodity solutions UK, North and South Europe of RWE Supply & Trading: “Solar power is one of the quickest and easiest renewable technologies to deploy, and can quickly make a significant contribution to the UK’s energy system.
“Through the build-out and operation of our UK portfolio of over 4.4GW of solar projects, our clean electricity can help even more businesses like Kerry Group to decarbonise for the future by sourcing clean green electricity for years to come. We’re delighted to be able to support the transition of businesses away from fossil fuel-sourced electricity and to be making a meaningful contribution to the UK’s net zero ambitions.”
RWE continues to expand presence in the UK solar market
In March 2024, RWE confirmed that it had started constructing its first seven UK solar and storage sites, representing 330MW of solar and 45MW of co-located battery energy storage systems (BESS).
The projects are the first of the 3.8GW solar and 2.5GW battery storage capacity from the portfolio the German energy giant secured through its acquisition of developer JBM Solar to enter construction.
Completed in March 2023, the acquisition made RWE one of the key players in the UK’s solar market.
It is also worth noting that all seven projects successfully secured Contracts for Difference (CfD) and will be constructed to facilitate a co-located BESS asset where one is not already installed. Additionally, RWE’s projects will contribute a total of £645,000 towards communities local to the sites.
Solar Power Portal’s publisher Solar Media will host the UK Solar Summit on 4-5 June 2024 in London. The event will explore the 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.