Update 1st July 2025 – The UK’s largest solar project, Cleve Hill Solar Park in Kent, is now fully operational, exporting clean energy at its full 373 MW capacity. Developed by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, the massive project is more than four times the size of any other operational solar site in the UK.
Cleve Hill made history as the first solar and battery project approved as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) and has secured the largest solar-plus-storage financing in the UK, totaling over GBP 238 million. A 150 MW battery storage system is currently under construction and, once complete, will make Cleve Hill the biggest co-located solar and storage site in the country.
The project is expected to cut over 142,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, support over 2,500 jobs, and contribute more than GBP 114 million in local economic benefits. It also includes the UK’s largest solar corporate power purchase agreement with Tesco.
Quinbrook’s Keith Gains and Rory Quinlan emphasized the project’s scale, impact on local communities, and role in supporting the UK’s clean energy goals. Cleve Hill represents a significant milestone in the nation’s energy transition and a model for future infrastructure development.
June 10th 2020 – The UK Government’s Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma has approved the development of the 350MW Cleve Hill Solar Park which is a joint venture project between Hive Energy Ltd. and Wirsol Energy Ltd. The decision comes at an important time with the UK becoming the first major economy to pass law to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
Located on the north Kent coast one mile from Faversham and less than 96.6km from central London, The Cleve Hill Solar Park is a pioneering scheme which will deliver significant benefits to the low carbon economy and environment. The project will generate clean renewable electricity to power over 91,000 homes, reducing the UKs dependence on fossil fuels and lowering CO2 emissions by 68,000 tonnes a year. It project won’t require any Government subsidies and aims to be one of the lowest cost generators of electricity in the UK.
Hive Energy has combined their expertise in developing solar parks with Wirsol’s engineering capabilities to deliver an exemplar solar scheme which demonstrates low carbon technological ingenuity. According to Giles Redpath, CEO of Hive Energy, the company is proud to lead the way, together with their partners at Wirsol, to deliver the UKs largest solar park. “Due to be operational by 2022, the Cleve Hill Solar Park offers a real solution to our urgent climate needs and showcases the potential for the UK to lead the green recovery,” he added.
Also Read: Largest solar power project in US to be constructed in Nevada
Technical ingenuity of Cleve Hill Solar Park
The joint venture took the decision to pioneer the use of an east west panel orientation in the UK for the Cleve Hill Solar Park, which will be able to generate 44% more electricity generation than the same site with south-orientated panels.
Hive Energy also believes that solar and storage are at the heart of a smarter energy system. The UK is currently lagging behind other countries in its battery storage capabilities. New storage technologies reduce the problem of meeting peaks in demand, and dampen wholesale price volatility, back up solar and wind intermittency, and open up the prospect of the electrification of transport.
Together with their partner Wirsol Ltd., Hive has worked to develop the project’s energy storage proposals.
A boost to the low carbon economy
Creating green jobs and scaling renewable energy schemes are some of the measures the Government are prioritising as part of the nation’s green recovery. The US $574.2m Cleve Hill Solar Park will create direct and indirect permanent jobs, contributing to the US $15.3bn low carbon electricity sector which supports 47,000 jobs with more in supply chains. Hive Energy is committed to growing the low carbon economy and delivering local economic benefits including jobs and contract opportunities.
