Tesco agrees largest UK corporate PPA for solar power in landmark infrastructure project | Grocery Trader
- Cleve Hill solar park in Faversham, Kent, is being built by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners (“Quinbrook”), helping provide Tesco with energy security in its push to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.
- New solar park will provide up to 10% of Tesco’s UK electricity demand.
- The amount of clean energy generated is enough to power the equivalent of 144 large stores for a year.
Tesco has today announced the signing of its largest UK Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), facilitated by EDF, securing 65% of the solar power generation from Cleve Hill Solar Park. Cleve Hill, located on the north Kent coast, is the largest solar and battery storage project ever constructed in the UK, with a capacity of 373 megawatts (MW). The project, which began construction in early 2023, is set to become operational in early 2025.
Tesco’s 15-year Power Purchase Agreement represents the largest solar corporate PPA ever agreed in the UK. Cleve Hill is projected to generate enough renewable power annually to meet the equivalent electricity needs of 144 large Tesco stores. The site will feature more than 560,000 solar panels, and energy storage infrastructure, making it a significant contributor to the UK’s renewable energy landscape with EDF providing power balancing and shaping services to facilitate the agreement.
In the first quarter of 2023, renewables generated 48% of all UK electricity.1 Partnerships like the one between Tesco, Quinbrook, and EDF are crucial for bridging the investment and infrastructure gap needed to achieve the UK’s net zero target.
This project not only supports the UK’s clean energy goals but also demonstrates a commitment to sustainable development and innovation in renewable energy technology. Cleve Hill Solar Park is classified as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), highlighting its importance to the national energy strategy.
Over the past five years, Tesco has announced multiple energy projects, helping the retailer source green electricity directly from windfarms and solar parks across the UK. With the addition of Cleve Hill to our existing portfolio1, PPAs will cover 45% of Tesco UK’s or 36% of Group’s expected 2030 electricity demand.
Ken Murphy – Group Chief Executive, Tesco said:
“We’re delighted to be announcing such a significant step in our journey towards carbon neutrality across our own operations by 2035.
“Cleve Hill solar park, with its ability to generate up to 10% of our UK electricity demand, joins a number of other Power Purchase Agreements we’ve announced over the last five years. With its ability to provide vital energy storage infrastructure, it’s a key part of the renewable energy strategy in the UK, and further evidence of our commitment to tackle climate change and source green electricity from innovative projects like this.”
Keith Gains, Managing Director and UK regional lead, Quinbrook said:
“Tesco’s commitment to Cleve Hill Solar Park underscores the value of the project which has set new benchmarks for UK solar. Quinbrook is proud of developing Cleve Hill as we believe it is a blueprint for the next generation of energy transition infrastructure in the UK. We are grateful to Tesco for their partnership.”
Matthew Nunn, Director of EDF Business Solutions, commented:
“We’re proud to be working in partnership with Tesco and Quinbrook on this large scale solar corporate PPA. This is being delivered utilising EDF’s unrivalled energy market knowledge and expert trading capabilities, to guarantee a reliable source of clean and affordable energy. It’s great to see solar power playing such an important role in Tesco’s progress towards carbon neutrality.”
1 Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/energy-security-boost-with-multi-million-backing-for-renewables.
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