Downing buys two consented solar projects from BOOM Power

Downing is continuing to grow its portfolio of solar projects in the UK, with the company recently acquiring the New Hall Solar Farm and Low Farm Solar Farm from BOOM Power. 

Both projects, which are located near Wakefield in West Yorkshire, will add a combined 72.1MW of consented solar capacity to Downing’s overall portfolio. 

New Hall Solar Farm is a 22.2MW consented solar PV project that has been developed from early-stage site identification through to planning consent. Downing said the scheme has been designed with a focus on environmental considerations, including biodiversity measures and a landscape-led approach alongside renewable generation.

The second acquisition relates to Low Farm Solar Farm, a 49.9MW consented project. Downing has acquired the entire shareholding in the asset, completing BOOM Power’s exit following its development and investment phase.

Sean Moore, Senior Investment Director at Downing, commented, “We are pleased to be acquiring New Hall Solar Farm and BOOM Power’s remaining interest in Low Farm Solar Farm. These are well-developed, consented projects that reflect the quality of BOOM Power’s development work and align strongly with Downing’s strategy of investing in renewable energy assets that support the UK’s transition to a low-carbon energy system and deliver long-term, sustainable value.”

For BOOM Power, the deals mark another handover of projects from the developer’s pipeline after reaching the consent stage.

Mark Hogan, Founder of BOOM Power, added, “The transactions represent another important milestone for BOOM Power and underline the strength and flexibility of our development platform. We are proud to have progressed these projects through consent and to see them move forward with Downing, whose long-term investment approach aligns well with our vision for delivering high-quality renewable energy infrastructure.”

Downing has been steadily growing its solar portfolio across the UK, with it recently announcing plans to build a private wire solar farm for colocation provider Kao Data. That site will be one of the largest of its kind in the UK, offering up to 40MW of solar power.It’s also not the only developer growing its portfolio through acquisitions, with TagEnergy recently entering the UK’s onshore wind market with acquisitions from RES.