Latest news with #KeithGains
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Quinbrook's Cleve Hill solar park in UK commences operations
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has announced that its 373MW Cleve Hill solar park in Kent, UK is now fully operational and exporting electricity. During its commissioning stage in May 2025, electricity exports from Cleve Hill reached a peak equal to 0.7% of the UK's total power demand. The project holds the distinction of being the first solar and battery project to be designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP). It is also the first NSIP in the UK to receive a contract for difference (CfD) from the UK government-supported Low Carbon Contracts Company and obtained the largest allocation for any UK solar project during Round 4 of CfD auctions. Development consent for Cleve Hill was given in May 2020, with construction initiated in 2023 through collaboration with private energy partners. Quinbrook secured a £218.5m ($299m) term loan and £20m ($27m) VAT facility through Lloyds and NatWest banks for the project. Construction is ongoing on a 150MW battery energy storage system (BESS) will make Cleve Hill the largest co-located solar plus storage initiative to be developed in the UK's power market. Quinbrook managing director and UK regional leader Keith Gains stated: 'Cleve Hill sets a new benchmark for large-scale solar projects to help decarbonise the UK power system and demonstrates how investing in the infrastructure needed to transition the UK to clean energy can support local communities and create new jobs. 'Reaching commercial operations is a major technical, construction and financial achievement for our teams, our partners and our investors. Quinbrook has also signed a corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tesco for the project. The project is expected to cut carbon emissions by an estimated 142,000t in the first year of operations while also supporting more than 2,500 jobs directly and indirectly. It is also expected to contribute £114m in local socio-economic benefits throughout its lifetime. Quinbrook's co-founder and managing partner Rory Quinlan stated: 'Quinbrook is proud to further enhance our track record of successfully delivering milestone infrastructure projects that create such a meaningful and positive impact for the UK's energy transition. 'Projects like Cleve Hill set new scale benchmarks that should increase confidence that the UK's renewables targets can be achieved.' "Quinbrook's Cleve Hill solar park in UK commences operations" was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Business Wire
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Landmark Cleve Hill Solar Park Reaches Commercial Operations
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners ('Quinbrook'), a specialist global investment manager focused exclusively on the infrastructure needed for the energy transition, today announced successful completion of construction and the start of commercial operations of the solar asset at the landmark Cleve Hill Solar Park ('Cleve Hill') in Kent, UK. Cleve Hill is now exporting at 100 percent of its 373 MW dc capacity, which is more than four times the size of the next largest operational UK solar project. In May, electricity exports from Cleve Hill during the commissioning phase peaked at a level equivalent to 0.7 percent of the UK's national power demand. Cleve Hill was the first solar and battery storage project to be consented as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project ('NSIP'). The record breaking solar project is supported by the largest solar + battery storage project financing ever undertaken in the UK. As previously announced, Quinbrook closed a GBP 218.5 million term loan and a GBP 20 million VAT facility with Lloyds and NatWest. Construction is also underway on a 150 MW co-located battery energy storage system (BESS) which on completion will make Cleve Hill the largest co-located solar plus storage project ever constructed in the UK power market. 'Cleve Hill sets a new benchmark for large-scale solar projects to help decarbonise the UK power system and demonstrates how investing in the infrastructure needed to transition the UK to clean energy can support local communities and create new jobs,' said Keith Gains, Managing Director and UK Regional Leader for Quinbrook. 'Reaching commercial operations is a major technical, construction and financial achievement for our teams, our partners and our investors. Cleve Hill was not an easy project to build and we overcame many challenges along the way. The UK's ongoing commitment to progress its energy transition and decarbonise the economy represents a strong conviction as a nation to a renewable energy future, one that is underpinned by a huge pipeline of large-scale infrastructure projects that will support growth, jobs and cheaper power for UK households.' Cleve Hill was the UK's first solar NSIP to be awarded a Contract for Difference ('CfD') by the UK Government-backed Low Carbon Contracts Company and secured the largest award for a UK solar project in Round 4 of the CfD auction scheme. Quinbrook also secured a long-term offtake agreement with Tesco PLC, the largest solar corporate PPA executed in the UK to date. 'Quinbrook is proud to further enhance our track record of successfully delivering milestone infrastructure projects that create such a meaningful and positive impact for the UK's energy transition. Projects like Cleve Hill set new scale benchmarks that should increase confidence that the UK's renewables targets can be achieved,' said Rory Quinlan, Quinbrook's Co-Founder and Managing Partner. Cleve Hill was granted development consent in May 2020 and commenced construction in early 2023. Quinbrook partnered with its development affiliate, Private Energy Partners, in the construction and commissioning of the project. Cleve Hill is expected to help reduce carbon emissions by more than 142,000 tonnes in the first year of operations. It is also expected to support over 2,500 direct and indirect jobs and generate more than GBP 114 million in local socio-economic benefits over its lifetime. About Quinbrook Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners ( is a specialist investment manager focused exclusively on the infrastructure needed to drive the energy transition in the UK, US, and Australia. Quinbrook is led and managed by a senior team of power industry professionals who have collectively invested c. USD 6.9 billion of equity capital in 40 GW of energy infrastructure assets representing a total transaction value of USD 29.8 billion. Quinbrook has completed a diverse range of direct investments in both utility and distributed scale onshore wind and solar power, battery storage, reserve peaking capacity, biomass, fugitive methane recovery, hydro and flexible energy management solutions in the UK, US, and Australia. Quinbrook is currently developing and constructing some of the largest renewables and storage infrastructure projects in the UK, US, and Australia.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Quinbrook Closes UK's Largest Solar PV + Battery Storage Project Financing for Cleve Hill Solar Park
Up to GBP 238.5 million closed for the country's largest solar + battery storage project under construction LONDON, March 17, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners ("Quinbrook"), a specialist global investment manager focused exclusively on the infrastructure needed for the energy transition, today announced the close of a record debt financing for Cleve Hill Solar Park ("Cleve Hill"), the UK's largest solar + battery storage project under construction and first to be consented as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project. The 373 MW solar + 150 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) in Kent are expected to commence operations in 2025. The project financing, combining a GBP 218.5 million term loan and a GBP 20 million VAT facility, is provided by Lloyds and NatWest. The financing is the largest solar + battery storage project financing ever closed in the UK and was arranged in two tranches, with the term loans for the solar PV completed in August 2024 and for the BESS facility in March 2025. "Cleve Hill is a model for the development and financing of future large-scale projects in the UK that can meaningfully support the country's decarbonisation goals while spurring economic growth and long-term job opportunities for local communities," said Keith Gains, Managing Director and UK Regional Leader for Quinbrook. "The record-breaking financing secured is the latest milestone for this flagship project and our success here is a testament to the hard work and close collaboration of the Quinbrook and Private Energy Partners teams and our lending partners." The revenue contracts secured for the project are critical to underwriting the project financing. In addition to securing the largest award for a UK solar project in Round 4 of the government's 15-year Contract for Difference auction scheme and the landmark offtake agreement with Tesco PLC for 65% of the solar generation, the project will also benefit from a 15-year Capacity Market Agreement for the BESS. This agreement ensures that the project is compensated for having its power generation capabilities ready and available during periods of high demand, enhancing grid reliability. The Capacity Market Agreement brings the total contracted and index linked revenues for the project to over GBP 480 million. James Taylor, Head of Infrastructure & Project Finance at Lloyds said: "This landmark energy infrastructure project is another boost to the UK's attractiveness as a destination for investment. As one of the UK's largest retail and commercial banks, we work with businesses across the country to provide our support for projects that will help to deliver economic growth, provide energy security, and create jobs." Lyudmil Banev, Director, Project Finance at NatWest said: "We are proud to have continued our global partnership with Quinbrook working together closely from the early stages of Cleve Hill to structure and underwrite a complete financing for the first and largest Co-Location NSIP in the UK. Cleve Hill is a cornerstone transaction for the UK market delivering material new renewable capacity whilst alleviating grid constraints, with a sizeable local community and biodiversity benefit. We see Co-location as a highly strategic sector with leading potential to become a centrepiece of UK's medium-term decarbonisation story." Cleve Hill was granted development consent in May 2020 and is expected to help reduce carbon emissions by more than 142,000 tonnes in the first year of operations while also seeking to deliver a net gain of over 67 percent in biodiversity. The project is also expected to support over 2,500 direct and indirect jobs over its lifetime and generate more than GBP 114 million in local socio-economic benefits. "When this project was envisioned over five years ago, we knew solar + battery storage projects of this scale would play a critical role in accelerating the UK's transition and Cleve Hill is a prime example of how strategic investments can enhance national energy infrastructure," added Rory Quinlan, Quinbrook's Co-Founder and Managing Partner. Quinbrook was advised by Norton Rose Fulbright. About QuinbrookQuinbrook Infrastructure Partners ( is a specialist investment manager focused exclusively on the infrastructure needed to drive the energy transition in the UK, US, and Australia. Quinbrook is led and managed by a senior team of power industry professionals who have collectively invested c. USD 6.9 billion of equity capital in 40 GW of energy infrastructure assets representing a total transaction value of USD 29.8 billion. Quinbrook has completed a diverse range of direct investments in both utility and distributed scale onshore wind and solar power, battery storage, reserve peaking capacity, biomass, fugitive methane recovery, hydro and flexible energy management solutions in the UK, US, and Australia. Quinbrook is currently developing and constructing some of the largest renewables and storage infrastructure projects in the UK, US, and Australia. View source version on Contacts Media: Jennifer Pflieger+1 (212) 446-1866jpflieger@
