Lightsource bp will kick-start the construction contracts for its largest ever UK solar project. Construction of the 61MWp project will begin at Tiln Farm, Retford in November and is scheduled to take approximately 11 months. Once complete, 50GWh of renewable energy generated by the project will be sold to Forterra, a UK building products manufacturer, annually for 15 years via a corporate power purchase agreement. The PPA will provide the company with valuable price certainty and predictability at a time when this is in short supply. Lightsource bp will be investing over £40m into the project.
Tiln is the latest project to go into construction as part of Lightsource bp’s UK project development pipeline, which is almost exclusively made up of sites this size and larger. The UK is a key market in achieving Lightsource bp’s global ambitions to develop 25GW by 2025. Lightsource bp CEO of EMEA and APAC Kareen Boutonnat said: “Deploying solar in the UK is a key aspect of combatting the energy crisis – the fact that we can deliver a +60MWp project like Tiln in under a year is critical. “The addition of battery storage is another vital development, helping to dispatch solar to the grid during periods of peak demand. This project is a demonstration of how Lightsource bp is moving at speed to develop sustainable renewable projects, we’re supporting the UK’s low-carbon transition and climate targets.” Louise Kingham, bp’s head of UK, added: “These are exactly the type of projects we want to see developed – producing clean energy, creating new jobs and supporting local communities. Today’s announcement is an important milestone and critically one step closer to getting another UK solar farm up and running.”
Credits: renews.biz[Image: Pixabay]