UK’s largest solar project Cleve Hill begins full operations in Kent

Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, a UK-based renewable energy investment firm, has announced full operations at the Cleve Hill Solar Park in Kent, United Kingdom. With a capacity of 373 MW DC, Cleve Hill is the largest operational solar project in the UK and briefly supplied 0.7% of national power demand during commissioning. The project was the first solar and battery Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project  approved in the country. Quinbrook secured GBP 218.5 million (~ $301.5 million) in term loans and a GBP 20 million (~ $27.6 million) VAT facility from Lloyds and NatWest to support the project. Construction is ongoing for a 150 MW BESS, which will make it the UK’s largest co-located solar and storage facility. Cleve Hill also holds the country’s largest corporate solar power purchase agreement with Tesco PLC. The project is expected to reduce over 142,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.