News: Rotherham wind farm sold

OnPath Energy, a long-standing developer of renewable energy plants operating in the UK, has sold a number of its wind farms, including one in Rotherham.

Italian company, ERG has snapped up seven onshore wind farms in accross the country in a deal which has an enterprise value of £112.9m.

A development of six 132m turbines at Penny Hill Farm in Ulley in Rotherham was part of the deal. The operators, The Banks Group, secured planning permission for the 20MW capacity site in December 2010 and an extension was later secured allowing operations to continue until 2053.

In 2023, Brookfield, a leading global asset manager with $850bn of assets under management, acquired Banks Renewables and its wind farms. THe company was renamed OnPath Energy.

ERG operates around 4,000 MW globally and, following this transaction, 412MW of installed wind capacity in the UK with a growing portfolio of wind and solar energy projects across nine European countries and in the United States.

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Richard Dunkley, CEO at OnPath Energy, says: “The sale of these seven wind farms was a core part of the business plan that was developed when Brookfield acquired OnPath in 2023, and we are very pleased to have now completed this transaction with such a well-regarded counterparty.

“Acquisitions and divestments are a critical part of our growth strategy, where proceeds from selling mature assets can be used to develop and acquire pipeline with potential for value creation leveraging our team’s deep renewables expertise.

“We will now be bringing forward a range of new proposals for onshore wind farms across Great Britain over the next 12 months that will build on our existing plans to invest around one billion pounds in total in clean energy projects by 2030.”

OnPath Energy said that it will continue to manage Penny Hill Wind Farm on behalf of ERG while the £22,900 annual community benefit fund will be maintained under their new ownership over the project’s lifetime. 

OnPath is currently constructing a £60m, 49MW project called Common Farm Solar Park on green belt land to the west of the Todwick Road Industrial Estate in Dinnington.

OnPath Energy website
ERG website

Images: OnPath Energy

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News: Solar farm plans for Rotherham energy site

Another planning application has been submitted for a solar energy project on agricultural land close to an existing wind farm in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported in 2015 on Banks Renewables' (now OnPath Energy) plans for a 5MW solar photo voltaic (PV) scheme close to its Penny Hill wind farm site at Ulley, which sits to the south east of Rotherham and west of the junction of the M1 and M18.

With OnPath also developing plans for a £60m, 49MW project on green belt land to the west of the Todwick Road Industrial Estate in Dinnington, another firm announced proposals for land at Ulley earlier this year.

Applicants Abei Energy hope to install solar panels on two parcels of land which lie north and south of Carr Lane, which would be known as Piper Lane Solar Farm.

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With an operational phase of 40 years, the proposed development would comprise the construction and operation of an approximate 31.2MW solar array, 11.97MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and its associated infrastructure on a site of circa. 31ha.

The installation will include approximately 50,700 state-of-the-art polycrystalline solar photovoltaic (PV) modules, capable of generating enough clean energy to power approximately 11,500 homes. This has been reduced from initial proposals that showed 71,500 solar modules.

Applicants say that the plans will address national and local support for renewable energy generation projects whilst supporting farmers and landowners to diversify. The plans add that sheep grazing could continue, minimising the impact on existing land use.

Regarding the green belt site, the application, prepared by Arthian Ltd, states: "The proposal is therefore considered to be an exception, as the benefits outweigh any potential impact, especially considering the national target of 100% renewable energy generation by 2030 and amendments to planning policy in relation to renewable developments. The proposal includes a shared agricultural use for sheep grazing, which will maintain the existing land use. The Application Site will be restored into its existing condition upon decommissioning, and thus any potential impact on the Green Belt will only be temporary in nature."

Plans conclude: "The Proposed Development will contribute towards the transition to a low carbon economy and national and local net zero ambitions. The co-location of battery storage will also maximise energy generation and security of supply. Environmental benefits will also be released by way of positive BNG [biodiversity net gain] through proposed landscaping and habitat creation."

Abei Energy

Images: Abei Energy

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News: AECOM to lead on Rotherham solar energy project

Renewable energy developer OnPath Energy has appointed specialist infrastructure consultancy AECOM as lead consultant for its solar scheme in Rotherham.

Planning permission for a £60m project on green belt land to the west of the Todwick Road Industrial Estate in Dinnington was secured in 2023.

AECOM is leading on the delivery of the Common Farm Solar Energy Park and is working alongside OnPath (formerly Banks Renewables) on all aspects of its construction, including planning, transport, engineering and environmental management, as well as the design of its power system.

OnPath Energy is expecting construction work to begin in the summer and to finish before the end of 2026, with the build out providing opportunities for regional subcontractors and suppliers in the coming months.

AECOM is already working on the delivery of OnPath Energy’s Barnsdale Solar Energy Park, which is located to the east of Leeds.

The Common Farm Solar Energy Park will have an installed capacity of up to 49MW, which is enough to meet the average annual electricity requirements of up to 18,800 family homes and would displace over 11,470 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the electricity supply network each year.

A 50 MW battery storage facility will also link directly into the Thurcroft electricity sub-station around three kilometres to the north of the site, which will help make the energy grid more efficient, facilitate more renewable energy generation and support the long-term security of energy supplies to UK consumers.

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The Common Farm Solar Energy Park’s detailed ecology and biodiversity strategy will ensure it delivers a net benefit in biodiversity to the local community, with the ground around and beneath the solar panels being used to create a wildflower meadow.

Local consultation work is continuing to determine how the annual £50,000 package of community benefits that forms part of the project, which could equate to more than £2 million through its lifetime, can best be used to support local community and environmental priorities.

Martin Kellerman, construction director at OnPath Energy, said: “The Common Farm Solar Energy Park will bring a wide range of direct environmental, energy security and community benefits to the local area, and will further increase the contribution that OnPath Energy is able to make towards helping the UK meet its crucial Net Zero targets.

“AECOM has extensive experience of delivering large infrastructure projects like the Common Farm Solar Energy Park and has the expertise to manage all the different types of work that will go into creating it.

“We’ve seen how effectively their team is working at our Barnsdale Solar Energy Park site and we’re very pleased to be extending our working relationship with them here.”

OnPath website

Images: OnPath

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