Kent set to shine with UK’s ‘largest’ solar plant

Construction has started on what is described as the UK’s largest solar and battery storage plant.

This comes after the investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners won the highest government subsidy ever awarded for a solar energy scheme.

Project Fortress, the Cleve Hill-based 350MW project in Kent received consent in May 2020 and was the first solar farm to be approved as a nationally significant infrastructure project.

With a 15-year deal under the government’s Contracts for Difference scheme, it is predicted to generate enough renewable power annually to supply around 100,000 homes.

The plant is set to connect to the National Grid next year and the project’s developers have credited the UK’s supportive renewable energy regime for making it “a very attractive market for renewable providers”.

“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,” commented Rory Quinlan, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Quinbrook.

“In our view, large-scale solar and 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.”