SSE buys 30-MW inaugural UK solar project

UK energy group SSE Plc (LON:SSE) has made its first direct foray into solar power by acquiring a 30-MW domestic project under a recently-unveiled GBP-12.5-billion (USD 17.1bn/EUR 15bn) programme to accelerate the energy transition.

The solar farm is to be built in collaboration with Stark Energy on a 77-acre site at Littleton Pastures in Worcestershire, in the West Midlands region of England. The facility is scheduled to go live in late 2023 and is set to power some 9,400 homes.

"We see solar as a key complementary technology to SSE’s existing portfolio of low carbon infrastructure such as wind and hydro and one that can power us towards net zero," said Richard Cave-Bigley, SSE director for distributed generation and storage. He added that SSE anticipates being able to announce additional solar and battery projects in 2022.

The UK group noted it is investing around GBP 7 million per day on critical low-carbon infrastructure. The company's distributed energy division is developing over 1 GW of solar and battery storage technology. In August 2021, SSE bought the development rights for its first 50-MW battery storage project in Wiltshire from Harmony Energy.

In November 2021, SSE said it will allocate 40% to renewables from its fully-funded -strategic capital investment plan until 2026.

(GBP 1 = USD 1.364/EUR 1.202)

Choose your newsletter by Renewables Now. Join for free!