New phase for UK solar and battery power sites announced

In a landmark deal, DIF Partners and ib vogt have confirmed the acquisition of 100% interest in Britain’s largest co-location solar and battery power portfolio, in a major boost to clean energy provision. 

Developed by Enso Green Holdings Limited as a joint venture with Cero Generation, seven sites are included in the agreement with a total capacity of 720MW. This is split between 380MW or solar and 340MW of battery storage. 

Once the development of each location is complete, responsibility will pass to the DIG and ib vogt partnership. All projects are expected to finish and be ready to transfer by the middle of this year, and go online between 2024 and 2026. Cero will continue development of further UK solar and battery projects currently in the pipeline, extending to 5GW, with a further 5GW currently on the table in the form of early-stage opportunities. 

‘This transaction perfectly fits in DIF’s build to core strategy and will make a significant contribution to the UK’s efforts to achieve net zero by 2050. It represents DIF’s first direct investment into the asset class of utility scale energy storage, which is an essential component of future electricity markets. DIF is continuing to work closely with Enso Energy and Cero Generation to bring the remaining assets in the portfolio to ready-to-build stage and is excited to make this investment in a partnership with ib vogt,’ said Gijs Voskuyl, partner and Head of Infrastructure at DIF Capital Partners. 

‘The sale of these ready-to-build assets is the culmination of a lot of hard work by the Enso and Cero teams, and we look forward to seeing the DIF/ib vogt team take them forward to construction and operation. This transaction provides further evidence that co-located solar and battery storage projects connecting directly to the transmission network are attractive to funders and investors and will play an important role in the delivery of the UK’s net zero plans,’ added Andrew King, Managing Director of Enso. 

Earlier this week, Environment Journal published in in-depth feature looking at Oxford’s innovative work to improve access to power for EV drivers, including the UK’s largest flow battery and a range of designs for on-street charge points. Catch up on the news here. 

Image: Jadon Kelly