Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has announced that its 373MW Cleve Hill solar park in Kent, UK is now fully operational and exporting electricity.
During its commissioning stage in May 2025, electricity exports from Cleve Hill reached a peak equal to 0.7% of the UK’s total power demand.
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The project holds the distinction of being the first solar and battery project to be designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP).
It is also the first NSIP in the UK to receive a contract for difference (CfD) from the UK government-supported Low Carbon Contracts Company and obtained the largest allocation for any UK solar project during Round 4 of CfD auctions.
Development consent for Cleve Hill was given in May 2020, with construction initiated in 2023 through collaboration with private energy partners.
Quinbrook secured a £218.5m ($299m) term loan and £20m ($27m) VAT facility through Lloyds and NatWest banks for the project.
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By GlobalDataConstruction is ongoing on a 150MW battery energy storage system (BESS) will make Cleve Hill the largest co-located solar plus storage initiative to be developed in the UK’s power market.
Quinbrook managing director and UK regional leader Keith Gains stated: “Cleve Hill sets a new benchmark for large-scale solar projects to help decarbonise the UK power system and demonstrates how investing in the infrastructure needed to transition the UK to clean energy can support local communities and create new jobs.
“Reaching commercial operations is a major technical, construction and financial achievement for our teams, our partners and our investors.
Quinbrook has also signed a corporate power purchase agreement (PPA) with Tesco for the project.
The project is expected to cut carbon emissions by an estimated 142,000t in the first year of operations while also supporting more than 2,500 jobs directly and indirectly.
It is also expected to contribute £114m in local socio-economic benefits throughout its lifetime.
Quinbrook’s co-founder and managing partner Rory Quinlan stated: “Quinbrook is proud to further enhance our track record of successfully delivering milestone infrastructure projects that create such a meaningful and positive impact for the UK’s energy transition.
“Projects like Cleve Hill set new scale benchmarks that should increase confidence that the UK’s renewables targets can be achieved.”
