List of the 300 largest solar park investors in Europe [2025]

Description

List of 5 large solar park investors in Europe

The world is in the midst of a worldwide crisis: global warming. Greenhouse gases are the biggest drivers of climate change, one of which is carbon dioxide. The combustion of coal, crude oil, and even natural gas for energy produces carbon dioxide and, therefore, highly contributes to global warming. At the same time, energy demands are as high as ever and rising with increasing industrialization. Moreover, the reserves of natural resources, especially crude oil, are coming to an end. In a nutshell, renewable energy is one of the most relevant topics in the (near) future. This, of course, accounts for the investment field, in which renewable energy is an important topic. Europe is home to many renewable energy investors, specifically home to a lot of solar energy investors. Investing not only in Europe but worldwide, European solar investors have a leading role in the worldwide energy transition. This article presents 5 of the leading solar energy investors from Europe.

1. Octopus Renewables (London, UK)

Octopus Renewables is a company you can’t get around in the renewable energy sector. Since 2010, the London-based investor has become one of the most important solar investors in Europe, in addition to their important standing for wind energy investments. Investing mainly in Europe, Octopus Renewables now has a total of 3.25 GW of total portfolio capacity (including wind energy). The surface area of installed solar parks accounts for 1,644 football stadiums. Solar energy makes up just over 30% of the renewable energy investors’ portfolio. More than 2.3 million homes are powered each year by the renewable assets Octopus manages.

Update: Octopus has successfully made its first investment in US renewables, as it intensifies its involvement in the market with the objective of investigating §2 billion in generation projects by 2030. Octopus acquired two solar farms in Pennsylvania and Ohio. The two projects have a combined capacity of 100MW, which is enough energy to power 20,000 homes with renewable energy.

2. Cubico Sustainable Investments (London, UK)

Cubico Sustainable Investments is also a London-based renewable energy investor. Founded in 2015, the company has worked its way up to the top very fast and is counted as one of the world’s leading investment firms for solar and wind energy. Cubico is jointly owned by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and PSP Investments. The company invests in solar photovoltaic as well as solar thermal energy, mainly in Europe and in the Americas. Overall, the England-based solar investor is active in 9 countries – Spain, UK, Greece, Italy, Uruguay, Colombia, Mexico, Australia, and USA – and has installed over 2.8 GW energy with 450 MW in construction. The company’s portfolio includes onshore wind, solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and transmission and distribution line technologies.

Update: The company has achieved many milestones in Colombia recently. Two of their projects have been energised, which adds a total capacity of 39 MW to their portfolio. Additionally, they started the construction of two new projects. These projects will create over 500 local jobs in the construction phase. These developments will bring Cubico’s total installed capacity to over 570 MWp in Colombia.

3. Encavis AG (Hamburg, Germany)

The German renewable energy investment and asset manager Envacis AG is based in Hamburg. Encavis AG is the largest German solar park operator listed on the stock market and therefore highly relevant for the energy transition in Germany but also in Europe, as the manager is active in various European countries. Established in 2018 from the merger of Capital Stage AG and CHORUS Clean Energy AG, Encavis now focuses on investments in solar energy as well as wind energy.

Update: Hamburg-based Encavis reports a robust renewable energy portfolio exceeding 3.4 GW. In January 2024, Encavis AG acquired the 30 MW Pozzolo solar project in Piedmont, Italy, set to go live in 2025. The project is expected to generate around 42 GW annually and will be under a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

4. NextEnergy Capital (London, England)

NextEnergy Capital is a renewable energy investor with a clear focus on solar energy. Since its founding in 2007, the investor has built up a portfolio of 2 GW of installed capacity and 1.6 GWp in operation in 9 countries, with $4.4 billion under management. Their geographical focus lies mainly in the United Kingdom as well as in Italy – with a total of more than 520 solar plants invested in. Therefore, NextEnergy Capital, whose headquarters is in London, belongs to one of the most important solar investors in Europe. Moreover, the renewable energy player has also been active as a developer with their subsidiary NextPower Development (NPD) since the beginning. Additionally, NextEnergy undertakes asset and portfolio management activities with its subsidiary WiseEnergy International Limited.

5. Sonnedix (Saint Grégoire, France)

As the name already suggests, Sonnedix is a French solar investor. The investor is also active in various other steps in the value chain, such as developing and building. The independent power producer (IPP) was founded in 2009 and now has 12.5 GW of total capacity, with 1.2 GW under construction in ten countries. Most solar projects are in Europe’s sunniest countries: Spain and Italy, where the geographical focus of the solar energy investor is. Sonnedix is globally present and also owns solar projects in the United Kingdom, South Africa, Japan, Puerto Rico, and Chile.

Update: Sonnedix announced that it has acquired an 80 MW solar PV plant from Blunova SpA in Sicily. Once complete, Sonnedix will hold a solar plant portfolio with a total of 250 MW across Southern Italy. This portfolio is expected to produce more than 145,000 MWh in the first year, powering over 55,000 households.

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Columns included in the list of the Solar Park Investors in Europe

• Company data (Company Name, Legal form, Country of origin)
• Contact details (City, Address, Postcode, URL, E-Mail, Phone, Management)
• Area of investment
• Type of Investor (Asset-/Investmentmanager, Family Office, Utility, IPP)
• Special Focus (PPAs, Repowering)
• Further information (Regional Focus, Founding year, installed capacity in MW)

Picture Source: Markus Spiske & Nuno Marques via Unsplash (21.03.2023)