Construction begins on UK’s largest solar farm

Construction has begun on the UK’s largest solar and battery storage project which, when operational, is forecast to be capable of powering around 100,000 homes annually.

The 373 MW solar and more than 150MW battery Project Fortress site located at Cleve Hill near Faversham in Kent was granted development consent by the then Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in May 2020.

The project, which is being developed by specialist global investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, secured a 15-year Contract for Difference (CfD) in round 4. It is forecast to help reduce carbon emissions by more than 164,000 tonnes in its first year of operations alone.

Rory Quinlan, co-founder and managing partner of Quinbrook, said: “High energy prices, geopolitical instability and the UK’s ambitious net zero goals are bringing into focus the critical need to accelerate the building of the next generation of energy transition infrastructure in the UK.

“In our view, large scale solar + battery storage projects are key to achieving the decarbonisation imperatives of the energy transition the world over and we are doing our best to create a blueprint for more projects to come here in the UK. Just as importantly, we are committed to doing this in a way that is truly impactful in supporting jobs and delivering a range of tangible benefits to the local community.”

Responding to the news Gemma Grimes, director of policy and delivery at Solar Energy UK, said: “At five times the capacity of the UK’s largest currently operational solar farm, the Cleve Hill project illustrates the ambition and increasing maturity of the UK’s solar industry.

“The start of its construction also marks another step forward for decarbonising the electricity system and achieving cheaper bills for consumers, especially considering that a number of other installations of comparable scale are also in the pipeline.”

“The lessons learned in its development will no doubt filter through the industry as a whole,” she added.

The site has been the subject of controversy, however, with one local group raising serious concerns.

After the government approved the development consent order for Cleve Hill, the Faversham Society said it was “extremely disappointed” by the decision.

In its response to the secretary of state’s decision, the society said: “The Faversham Society’s objections clearly stated in our final letter to the secretary of state stand. We are opposed to any development project that will detract from, not enhance, our community… This decision will have a major impact on our community as a market town set in a rural coastal environment.

“The industrialisation of Graveney Marsh will also affect the entrance to the Creek and plans for its regeneration.”