Downing grows UK solar portfolio through ready-to-build projects
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Downing grows UK solar portfolio through ready-to-build projects
4/12/25
5 min
Renewable energy
News
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The first acquisition is a fully consented c.15 MWp solar project in Devon. It benefits from a 40-year land lease and is expected to commission in 2027. The second, a c.20 MWp project in Shropshire, also comes with a 40-year land lease, with commissioning scheduled for 2027.
These projects benefit from 15-year Contracts-for-Difference (CfDs). A CfD is an agreement between the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC, a government owned vehicle) and a renewable energy generator. It effectively provides a guaranteed and inflation-linked price for the energy generated. This mitigates risk to investors from energy market movements.
Both projects will be overseen by Downing Renewable Developments, the company’s in-house development and delivery team. This team plays a central role in sourcing and executing high-quality renewable energy assets. Once operational, the projects are expected to generate renewable electricity that offsets approximately 14,600 tonnes of CO2 annually and estimated to be enough to power c.12,000 UK homes per year. The projects will also deliver wider benefits to local communities, including job creation – both during construction as well as once operational through maintenance, biodiversity enhancement, and collaboration with local organisations.
These acquisitions add to the c.16,000 solar sites already managed by Downing’s Energy & Infrastructure team across the UK, further diversifying its solar portfolio. Solar currently represents around 50% of Downing’s global energy and infrastructure holdings. It also forms an important part of its active development and acquisition pipeline.
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Investment manager Downing has expanded its renewable energy portfolio with the acquisitions of two ready-to-build (RTB) solar projects in Devon and Shropshire, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the UK’s transition to Net Zero.
The first acquisition is a fully consented c.15 MWp solar project in Devon. It benefits from a 40-year land lease and is expected to commission in 2027. The second, a c.20 MWp project in Shropshire, also comes with a 40-year land lease, with commissioning scheduled for 2027.
These projects benefit from 15-year Contracts-for-Difference (CfDs). A CfD is an agreement between the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC, a government owned vehicle) and a renewable energy generator. It effectively provides a guaranteed and inflation-linked price for the energy generated. This mitigates risk to investors from energy market movements.
Both projects will be overseen by Downing Renewable Developments, the company’s in-house development and delivery team. This team plays a central role in sourcing and executing high-quality renewable energy assets. Once operational, the projects are expected to generate renewable electricity that offsets approximately 14,600 tonnes of CO2 annually and estimated to be enough to power c.12,000 UK homes per year. The projects will also deliver wider benefits to local communities, including job creation – both during construction as well as once operational through maintenance, biodiversity enhancement, and collaboration with local organisations.
These acquisitions add to the c.16,000 solar sites already managed by Downing’s Energy & Infrastructure team across the UK, further diversifying its solar portfolio. Solar currently represents around 50% of Downing’s global energy and infrastructure holdings. It also forms an important part of its active development and acquisition pipeline.
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Investment manager Downing has expanded its renewable energy portfolio with the acquisitions of two ready-to-build (RTB) solar projects in Devon and Shropshire, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the UK’s transition to Net Zero.
The first acquisition is a fully consented c.15 MWp solar project in Devon. It benefits from a 40-year land lease and is expected to commission in 2027. The second, a c.20 MWp project in Shropshire, also comes with a 40-year land lease, with commissioning scheduled for 2027.
These projects benefit from 15-year Contracts-for-Difference (CfDs). A CfD is an agreement between the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC, a government owned vehicle) and a renewable energy generator. It effectively provides a guaranteed and inflation-linked price for the energy generated. This mitigates risk to investors from energy market movements.
Both projects will be overseen by Downing Renewable Developments, the company’s in-house development and delivery team. This team plays a central role in sourcing and executing high-quality renewable energy assets. Once operational, the projects are expected to generate renewable electricity that offsets approximately 14,600 tonnes of CO2 annually and estimated to be enough to power c.12,000 UK homes per year. The projects will also deliver wider benefits to local communities, including job creation – both during construction as well as once operational through maintenance, biodiversity enhancement, and collaboration with local organisations.
These acquisitions add to the c.16,000 solar sites already managed by Downing’s Energy & Infrastructure team across the UK, further diversifying its solar portfolio. Solar currently represents around 50% of Downing’s global energy and infrastructure holdings. It also forms an important part of its active development and acquisition pipeline.
Sean Moore, Investment Director at Downing said: “The acquisitions continue our programme of acquiring RTB solar projects. They are an important step in our plan to acquire, construct and operate a solar portfolio at scale, benefiting from long-term PPAs and CfDs. This is only possible with our integrated delivery, investment and asset management teams. It leaves us well placed to deliver on our portfolio ambitions.”
Downing has more than 90 professionals dedicated to renewable energy and infrastructure. Downing has a successful track record in developing, investing and managing renewables, storage and grid support infrastructure. Since 2010, Downing’s Energy & Infrastructure team has made more than 200 investments and has around £920 million of assets under management in the solar, wind, hydro and battery storage sectors with an expected annual energy generation of around 855GWh.
Its asset management team manages around 16,400 individual installations across six different technologies. A proprietary IT system allows the team to analyse one billion data points from the portfolio.
For more information about Energy & Infrastructure at Downing click here.
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The first acquisition is a fully consented c.15 MWp solar project in Devon. It benefits from a 40-year land lease and is expected to commission in 2027. The second, a c.20 MWp project in Shropshire, also comes with a 40-year land lease, with commissioning scheduled for 2027.
These projects benefit from 15-year Contracts-for-Difference (CfDs). A CfD is an agreement between the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC, a government owned vehicle) and a renewable energy generator. It effectively provides a guaranteed and inflation-linked price for the energy generated. This mitigates risk to investors from energy market movements.
Both projects will be overseen by Downing Renewable Developments, the company’s in-house development and delivery team. This team plays a central role in sourcing and executing high-quality renewable energy assets. Once operational, the projects are expected to generate renewable electricity that offsets approximately 14,600 tonnes of CO2 annually and estimated to be enough to power c.12,000 UK homes per year. The projects will also deliver wider benefits to local communities, including job creation – both during construction as well as once operational through maintenance, biodiversity enhancement, and collaboration with local organisations.
These acquisitions add to the c.16,000 solar sites already managed by Downing’s Energy & Infrastructure team across the UK, further diversifying its solar portfolio. Solar currently represents around 50% of Downing’s global energy and infrastructure holdings. It also forms an important part of its active development and acquisition pipeline.
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Downing LLP does not provide advice or make personal recommendations and investors are strongly urged to seek independent advice before investing. Investments offered on this website carry a higher risk than many other types of investment and prospective investors should be aware that capital is at risk and the value of their investment may go down as well as up. Any investment should only be made on the basis of the relevant product literature and your attention is drawn to the risk, fees and taxation factors contained therein. Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances of each investor and may be subject to change in the future. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Downing LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number 545025). Registered in England No. OC341575. Registered Office: Downing, 10 Lower Thames Street, London, EC3R 6AF.
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