Infraland, a low carbon developer, and real estate company Boultbee Brooks have launched a joint venture to produce and supply renewable energy.
The venture, under the name Infrabee, will develop a series of solar and battery sites across the UK and Europe. The two companies have worked together over the last five years; Infrabee marks an effort to combine their collective experience and “shared vision for the future of renewables”.
Infrabee co-director, Nick Barber, said: “Renewable energy is not something we can leave until tomorrow. We must invest in and develop the infrastructure we need today – so that together we can secure the future of our planet – before it really is too late.”
One of Infrabee’s directors, Henry Brown, said: “Consolidating our joint effort and investment under one stronger brand identity will enable us to continue and further our work in developing and delivering green energy.”
There are 25 sites either under development or shovel ready in the UK, with five expected to connect over the next year, the rest over the next three years. According to the Infrabee website, its total 40 projects in the UK, Croatia and Netherlands add up to 635MW solar capacity and 2.6GW battery storage.
The projects targeted for connection in 2024 include an 11MW solar, 8MW battery development in North Yorkshire and a 22MW solar, 4MW battery one in Suffolk. Its UK battery-only projects under development are targeted for completion in 2030 and range between 80MW and 500MW capacity.
As part of the land leasing agreement, Infrabee covers all associated costs, including planning and permitting applications, and will operate and maintain the facilities over their lifetime.
The joint venture’s other director, Henry Brown, said: “Consolidating our joint effort and investment under one stronger brand identity will enable us to continue and further our work in developing and delivering green energy.”
Brown added that the projects are opening a “long-term, predictable and index-linked” revenue stream, “not at the mercy of fluctuations such as unseasonal weather, or changes in market values”.
Boultbee Brooks invests in a mix of residential and commercial properties, as well as seeking opportunities in the data centre market. It says it is currently working towards a circular model whereby its investments in renewable energies directly serve its properties and data centres.
It is also partnered with SUB1, which designs and commissions data centres, as well as a battery storage company, Power Sync technologies.
Infraland’s operational portfolio covers 17MW wind turbines,165MW ground mounted solar, 49MW battery storage, 5MW commercial rooftop solar, 134MW low carbon flexible generation assets.
This includes a 16MW ground mounted solar development in Shropshire, developed in partnership with Boultbee Brooks (pre-Infrabee).
Infraland is also credited with providing development support for a 50MW project in Leicestershire, developed by Endurance Energy. The Oakley Solar Farm project received unanimous approval from Charnwood Borough Council in February this year. Councillors praised the planning application, which incorporated over 2,800 new trees, 605 metres of new hedgerows, 61 acres of new wildflower meadow and 166 acres of “species-rich” grassland alongside four new wildlife ponds.
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