UK's first nationally significant solar PV and battery storage project
Cleve Hill Solar Park is a renewable energy project, delivering sustainable, utility-scale solar power to the UK. The project is set to provide a meaningful contribution to improving energy security for the UK and further decarbonising the power grid, helping to progress the country’s journey to net zero.
Project History
As the largest solar project in UK history at the time of consent, Cleve Hill is a testament to forward-thinking infrastructure investment and responsible land use. Quinbrook constructed Cleve Hill to provide a significant boost to UK energy security while improving biodiversity and engaging with local communities. The project showcases how scale and sustainability can go hand in hand, offering a blueprint for future developments.
2014
Site identified for development
November 2017
Community consultation meetings and events commence
November 2018
Application for a Development Consent Order is submitted
May 2019
Development Consent Order examination phase begins
May 2020
Development Consent Order is granted
September 2021
Quinbrook acquires project
January 2022
Construction preparations begin. Pre-commencement site surveys are conducted
2022
560,000 panels procured
July 2022
First Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project to secure a Contract for Difference
August 2024
Signs UK’s largest ever corporate Power Purchase Agreement
March 2025
Closes UK’s largest solar PV and battery storage project financing on the same day the site was energised
July 2025
Start of commercial operations of the solar asset at Cleve Hill
2026
Estimated BESS commercial operations date
As the largest operational solar park in the UK, Cleve Hill embodies the scale and ambition needed to accelerate the transition to net zero. Designed with cutting-edge east-west facing bifacial panels and co-located battery storage, it’s a flagship for innovation in grid-scale renewables.
373MWdc
solar generation capacity
150MW
(300 MWh) battery energy storage system under construction
350KT
of CO₂ emissions avoided per year
>560K
solar panels installed
Cleve Hill was not an easy project to build and we overcame many challenges along the way. We are proud that Cleve Hill is a model for the development and financing of future large-scale projects in the UK that can meaningfully support the country’s decarbonisation goals and energy independence.
Rory Quinlan
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
Biodiversity at scale
Preserving nature while building for the future
138 acres dedicated to habitat management, targeting a Biodiversity Net Gain of >67% over the life of the project.
Community engagement in action
Listening, adapting, delivering
Commitment to local legacy. Upon construction completion, community benefit fund established to support grassroots initiatives and local infrastructure improvement across the project lifecycle.
Storage + Solar innovation
Delivering grid resilience with co-located storage
Cleve Hill’s integrated battery system helps balance the grid, store excess power, and optimise renewable energy availability even when the sun isn’t shining.
Team
The successful delivery of Cleve Hill Solar Park is the result of a close collaboration between Quinbrook and its development and asset management affiliate, Private Energy Partners (PEP). While Quinbrook provided the strategic capital, investment oversight, and project governance, PEP led on-the-ground execution, including engineering, construction, environmental stewardship, and stakeholder engagement. Together, the teams bring deep technical and financial expertise to the project, ensuring that Cleve Hill sets a new benchmark for scale, innovation, and sustainability in UK renewable energy infrastructure.
Conclusion
Cleve Hill Solar Park stands at the forefront of the UK’s clean energy transformation. Its scale, coupled with its pioneering use of storage, ensures that renewable electricity is delivered efficiently and reliably. Quinbrook’s approach balances commercial ambition with ecological sensitivity, and Cleve Hill exemplifies this with its landscape-first design. The project has been shaped by close consultation with environmental groups, local authorities, and the surrounding community.
As one of Quinbrook’s flagship infrastructure investments, Cleve Hill not only contributes to the UK’s legally binding net zero targets but also demonstrates how smart, utility-scale energy can support biodiversity, local economy, and long-term grid resilience.
Flagship projects
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Supernode
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