Opportunity: Unlock small scale solar
The popularity of sub-5MW schemes has returned
Key project requirements 17-25 acres UK wide Green Energy and Sustainability
Opportunity
Current market
Due to major grid reforms, 5MW distribution-connected solar farms can achieve energisation much faster than larger projects. While this presents a diversification opportunity, it is on a smaller scale compared to what has been observed over the past five years. These solar farms require between 17 and 25 acres of land for a period of 40 years. Landowners can expect an annual rent in excess of £1,000 per acre, index linked. There is also potential for co-location with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), offering additional rental income for BESS installations.
• Great Britain’s grid connection queue has reached 250GW, far exceeding current requirements and causing significant delays for large projects • NESO has announced major reforms aimed at removing bottlenecks and prioritising projects ready for immediate construction • At the same time, demand for clean, locally generated energy continues to accelerate as businesses pursue lower energy costs, decarbonisation and improved grid reliability • Some solar farm developers are now focusing on much smaller-scale energy projects