Solar energy in the UK has been expanding rapidly since the 2010s. In 2021, the country’s total capacity from installed solar parks was at 13.GW. There are several solar investors in the UK that own a huge portfolio of solar PV assets. Three of the largest solar energy investors in the UK are the following. This article is based on our top 50 list of renewable energy investors from the UK.
1) Bluefield solar income fund (Guernsey)
The Guernsey-based investor focuses on the acquisition and management of large-scale solar energy. More specifically, the company mainly invests into utility-scale solar parks in the United Kingdom. Since 2013, the company has invested into several solar assets in the UK. This has brought the company to own a huge portfolio of over 120 solar assets in the UK with a total installed capacity of over 816 MWp. An example for a part of the portfolio is the 50MWp onshore solar farm which used to be the largest solar farm in the United Kingdom while it was being constructed.
2) Aquila Capital (Hamburg, Germany)
Aquila Capital is a Hamburg-based investment firm with a sustainable investment strategy. At the time of its founding, the group was one of the first alternative investment firms. It provides investment opportunities with the goal to reduce carbon emissions. Since the founding in 2001, the group has invested into a large portfolio of renewable energy projects in several countries, including the United Kingdom. The portfolio includes 573 wind turbines, 119 solar parks and 149 hydropower plants with a total capacity of over 8 GW.
3) NextEnergy Capital (London, UK)
Founded in 2007, the London-based company has specialised in investments in utility-scale solar projects. Their listed NextEnergy Solar Fund owns solar projects in the United Kingdom as well as Italy. Currently, the fund consists of 99 solar energy assets which brings it to a total installed capacity of 895MW. The company’s private funds NextPower I, II and III contain diversified solar portfolios. Overall, the solar investment group owns a portfolio with a total 1.4GW of installed capacity.
Image: American Public Power Association via Unsplash (21.04.2023)
