Solar Farm and Grid-scale Battery Storage Scheme Development

Our Solar Partnerships are lease agreements where we build a scheme on your land, to be owned and operated by us.

The agreements can allow for sale to others.

How Our Partnerships Work

  • You lease to us the land for the solar PV and/or battery scheme. 
  • We pay for all the development costs, including your reasonable legal costs. 
  • We construct the system, with minimal disruption to you. 
  • We take on all the financial risk. 
  • The completed system will generate low-carbon electricity while you will benefit from an extra rental income. 
  • Solar PV schemes built today should last around 40 years, batteries 15 years. 

We are ideally looking for large areas of non-Greenbelt land of Agricultural Land Classification 3b, 4 or 5, though we may consider rooftop areas, land in the Greenbelt or land with higher classification in some circumstances.

The Process

  • We will work with you to select a suitable area for development.  If you are keen to proceed, we will agree Non-Disclosure and Exclusivity. 
  • We will ask the Distribution System Operator for a grid connection quote.  If the quote is not too high, then we will agree an Option to lease some of your land. 
  • When the Option and form of Lease has been signed, we will apply for the various permissions and consents required.
  • When all permissions and consents have been granted, we will secure construction finance, take up the Lease and begin building.
  • We will commission the scheme and start generating / storing electricity. 

Timetable

  • Month 1

    • Agree exclusivity, non-disclosure and permission to survey. 
    • Site walkover. 
    • Feasibility checks. 
  • Month 2

    • Request grid connection quote.

    If grid connection quote is not too high:

  • Months 4-6

    • Agree option to lease. 
  • Months 7-12

    • Apply for planning and other permissions and consents required. 
  • Months 13-15

    • Planning determination period. 
    • Engage lenders, equity partners, potential power purchasers. 
    • Prepare invitations to tender for construction stage contracts. 

    If planning permission granted:

  • Months 16-18

    • Secure construction finance and power purchase agreement. 
    • Invite tenders for construction phase contracts. 
    • Discharge pre-construction planning conditions. 
  • Months 19-24

    • Construction. 
    • Commissioning. 

Landowner and Tenant Obligations

Landowners can assist by providing access to the land when required, maintaining good communications with us, with regulatory bodies and with neighbours, and by supporting the planning application.

If the scheme proceeds, the full landowner and tenant obligations will be detailed in the Option and Lease agreements.

Our task is to ensure that the solar farm is a good neighbour, providing a relatively hassle-free income for the landlord, once up and running.

Our main concerns as tenant include good title, access, security and light.