NextEnergy Solar Fund Energises UK’s Largest Solar Plant Without State Support

London, UK – Next Energy Solar Fund (NESF) announced the energisation of the photovoltaic plant Staughton. According to the company with an installed capacity of 50 Megawatt peak (MWp) it is the UK’s largest solar plant that is not covererd by the state remuneration system.

As Next Energy points out, the Staughton solar plant will cover the yearly electricity demand of approximately 15,000 UK households. It is largely located on a former airfield on the Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire border.

The electricity generated by the plant will be bundled with NESF’s existing portfolio of generating plants and sold under sales contracts already in place. In selling the electricity generated by Staughton and the rest of its portfolio, the Company benefits from the electricity sales desk provided by its asset manager Wise Energy.

Following the completion of Hall Farm II (5.4 MWp, located in Leicestershire) in August 2019, the Staughton project is NESF’s second solar plant energised in 2019 that is realized outside the UK’s support system. The Company’s overall portfolio of operating solar plants has increased to 755MWp spread among 90 individual solar plants (including three residential rooftop portfolios).

With High Garrett NESF has also started preparing the site of its next solar plant for construction that does not need state support for construction. High Garrett is an 8.5 MWp extension to a 5MWp ROC asset known as Kentishes acquired in 2016. This asset is expected to be completed during the first half of 2020.

Source: IWR Online, 13 Jan 2020