Published: 29 Jul 2021, 13:46
The acquisition will help BayWa r.e. expand its operations in the UK market, with a portfolio of more than 2GW of solar and wind already under operation including the Bann Road solar farm in Northern Ireland. Image: BayWa r.e.
German renewables giant BayWa r.e. has acquired 99.8MW of subsidy-free co-located solar sites from UK developer JBM Solar.
The acquisition consists of two consented sites, the first the Corner Copse project near Swindon and the second Scurf Dyke near Hull.
Both are 49.9MW sites that received planning permission in 2020 and are set to come on stream in 2023. They will utilise bifacial module technology, and be co-located with onsite battery storage technology.
They form part of JBM’s commitment to deliver a 2GW UK solar pipeline in the next three years.
“This is an exciting milestone in delivering a strategy we put in place in late 2018,” said JBM director and co-founder Dave Cramer in response to the sale. “It marks the first step in JBM’s ambitious goal to develop a multi-GW pipeline of solar and storage facilities for the UK energy market.”
Following on from the approval received for the Corner Copse and Scurf Dyke sites in 2020, JBM received planning permission for another 50MW solar and battery storage site in Roden near Telford in March 2021.
BayWa r.e. has been continuing to expand its operations in the UK market, including launching a third office at the end of 2019. It has a portfolio of more than 2GW of solar and wind under operation in the UK.
In June 2021, the company partnered with Gresham House to repower the latter’s 4.984MWp ground-mounted solar park Lake Farm.
“The acquisition of these projects from JBM Solar is an important part of our continued development and investment in our pipeline,” said BayWa r.e. UK managing director Gordon MacDougall. “A core focus for BayWa r.e. is working in partnership with organisations committed to supporting the global energy transition to a low carbon environment.”