Sonnedix has broken ground on what will be the largest solar PV plant in the UK, the Cowley Complex. The global renewable energy producer already has a 300MW portfolio in the UK and this will be the largest among them. The Cowley Complex is set to be 120 MW ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) plant. It is located in Durham Country and is made up of three connected sites of 60 MW, 43 MW and 17 MW. With this project, Sonnedix continues to advance its position and growth in Britain’s solar market. Their ambition is to play a leading role in the UK’s transition to renewable energies.
Construction Timeline
Construction is expected to be complete in 2025. Once operational, it will supply roughly 124 600 MWh of renewable electricity per year. This is enough to power 35 000 UK homes and avoid almost 48 000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Sonnedix supporting the country to meet its net zero goals through provision of clean and affordable energy in the UK. In addition, the company is also deploying green jobs. The Cowley plant is being built by EPC contractor Ameresco Sunel Energy Ltd, contributing to the local economy by providing over 100 green jobs in the area.
While the project cost has not been disclosed, the project will be funded through Sonnedix’ recent €500 million loan facility. The company secured this loan in December last year from six commercial lenders acting as mandated lead arrangers and hedging banks. These included BBVA, CIBC, NatWest, Rabobank, Banco Sabadell, and Santander Corporate & Investment Banking (Santander CIB), which also acted as agent for the facilities. On the transaction, Sonnedix was advised by Watson Farley Williams (legal and tax).
“With construction of the largest plant in our UK portfolio underway, we have marked a major milestone in our UK growth strategy. We are excited to be progressing our presence in the market and becoming a key player in helping the UK transition towards a clean, secure and sustainable energy system and meeting its decarbonisation goals,” said Axel Thiemann, CEO of Sonnedix.
The whole Cowley Complex plant is 100% contracted under the Government’s Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme. This scheme aims to provide long-term price and revenue security. Following completion of construction of Cowley Complex, the CfD scheme will become effective in 2026.
The Cowley Complex solar Project Team
EPC contractor, Ameresco Sune Energy LTD, will build the Cowley plant. They will contribute to the local economy by providing over 100 green jobs in the area. Sonnedix currently has a total capacity of over 10GW. This includes a development pipeline of more than 6GW, across Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Spain, USA, and UK. The company continues to expand its global footprint across OECD countries, through acquisitions and development of renewable energy projects.
“We’re extremely excited to be breaking ground on the Cowley Complex solar site. At 120MW, this is an important infrastructure project for the local area and providing over 100 green jobs during construction. Additionally, supplying secure green, affordable energy once operational. We’re very proud to be working on what is set to be one of the largest solar PV plants across the whole of the UK once completed,” said Jorge Amiano Goyarrola, Global Head of Engineering and Construction.
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RWE breaking into the UK solar market
In March this year, RWE begun construction on seven solar PV projects in the UK. They represent 330 MW of new, clean electricity capacity and are the company’s first solar plants in the country. RWE acquired JBM Solar, one of the UK’s largest independent solar and co-located battery developers, prior to construction of these projects. The acquisition included around 3.8 gigawatts (GW) capacity of solar and 2.3 GW of battery development projects. This positioned RWE as one of the UK’s largest solar developers. Furthermore, it was a clear demonstration of the company’s commitment to its continued investment in UK clean energies.
Scope of the Largest solar PV plant in the UK
The first of the seven sites is due to become fully operational by the end of 2024. The remainder will follow shortly after. Once fully operational, the sites will be capable of meeting the average annual electricity needs of over 140,000 typical UK homes. Additionally, reducing UK carbon emissions by an estimated 8 million tonnes during their lifetime. RWE will work closely with local parishes. Their projects will also contribute a total of £645,000 in community benefits to the neighbouring area directly supporting local projects. This is in addition to supporting local jobs and opportunities for local businesses.
In line with Britain’s ambitions for 70GW of solar capacity by 2035, RWE aims to commission on average 450MW of new UK solar capacity per year up to 2030. Globally, RWE plans to increase its installed solar capacity from 3.9 GW to 16 GW by 2030.
In preparation for the construction works, RWE has awarded major construction contracts to two UK-based contractors. These include Ethical Power and also Equans UK & Ireland, under its new brand Equans Solar & Storage. They will provide a comprehensive range of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) services to seven of RWE’s solar farm projects located across England, from north Devon to Lincolnshire.
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