Published: 28 Feb 2022, 10:21
The three sites form part of a wider solar and battery storage portfolio from Cero and Enso. Image: Pixabay
Three 49.9MW solar and battery storage sites being developed by the joint venture (JV) between Enso Energy and Cero Generation have received planning permission, adding to the five consented sites already delivered in 2021.
The three solar farms are located in South Oxfordshire, Essex and Nottinghamshire. Specifically, South Oxfordshire Solar Farm is located southwest of Cowley Substation, while Bulphan Fen Solar Farm is to the southeast of Warley Substation in Essex and Tuxford Road Solar Farm is located near Skegby, to the southwest of High Marnham Substation.
The sites – which are to each deliver a biodiversity net gain of 46% – form part of Enso and Cero’s pipeline of projects, which the two described as “one of the UK’s largest pipelines of solar and battery projects”. The portfolio was announced in 2020 as a 1GW, with the JV now stating it aims to “significantly increase its output in 2022 as part of a multi-gigawatt portfolio of renewable energy projects” that are to initially be solar and storage, aiming to make a “significant contribution” in the transition to net zero.
The JV has now delivered five consented solar and battery schemes and submitted 16 planning applications. Planning permission was granted for the first two sites in the portfolio in January 2021, with construction of one of these – the 49.9MW Larks Green solar asset in South Gloucestershire – beginning in September 2021.
Ian Harding and Andrew King, directors at Enso Energy, said: “There is an urgent need to change the way we get our energy. Leadership at Local Authority level is vital in making that happen. We are delighted that South Oxfordshire District Council, Thurrock Council, Bassetlaw District Council & Newark and Sherwood District Council have done the right thing, supporting good applications in order to meet their green commitments”.
The JV between Enso and Cero was originally between Enso and Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG), before GIG launched Cero and consolidated its existing and future European solar activities into the new developer, including the UK pipeline.