Venture will see Octo Energy help EDF identify dual-use sites in Wales and England
EDF Renewables has partnered with Welsh renewables developer Octo Energy to develop 200MW of hybrid solar and battery storage projects in England and Wales.
The partnership, announced yesterday, is part of the French energy giant's plan to double its renewable capacity to 50GW by 2030 and install an extra 10GW of storage capacity in Europe by 2035.
The deal will see Octo Energy work with landowners and farmers to identify potential sites for development for EDF.
Octo Energy's managing director Nathan Welch said the venture marked a "significant milestone" for the company, touting the deal as a "real statement of intent from a world leading renewable energy company".
"Our goal is to leverage Octo Energy's development expertise with EDF Renewables global reach across the entire energy chain in order to deliver 200MW of low cost, low carbon renewable electricity through innovative and transformative projects," he added.
EDF director of solar and onshore wind development Mark Vyvyan-Robinson also toasted the partnership, which he said would move the UK closer to its 2050 net zero target.
"We are pleased to be working with Octo Energy to find these new hybrid sites and we look forward to working closely with local communities as we seek to make them a reality," he said. "These projects will enable us to contribute to the UK's green economic recovery from Covid-19 and help the country reach its net zero targets."
EDF currently has 1GW of installed renewable capacity in the UK, split across 36 wind farms and the 49MW West Burton B battery storage unit in Nottinghamshire, one of Europe's largest energy storage facilities.
The new partnership represents the second major vote of confidence in the UK's expanding solar and storage sector, after Green Investment Group and Enso Energy announced they were teaming up to form a joint venture that will be tasked with deveoping 1GW of solar and storage projects across the UK.
The UK solar industry has endured a rocky few years in the wake of the government's controversial decision to axe subsidy support for the sector. However, a combination of plummeting solar panel and battery costs, the expanding market for flexible grid services, and the government's surprise decision to allow onshore renewable projects to compete for future clean power contracts has resulted in a rapid expansion in the pipeline for new projects.