Neil Titley explores the growing disconnect between strong investor appetite for UK solar and the barriers to rapid deployment.
August 12, 2026
In this contributed article, Neil Titley, solar and battery lead at infrastructure consultancy AECOM, explores the growing disconnect between strong investor appetite for UK solar and the grid connection delays, planning complexity and infrastructure constraints preventing viable projects from progressing at the pace needed to meet the UK’s net-zero ambitions.
In light of the UK’s recent surge in solar generation, we’re seeing clear shifts in investor sentiment. Confidence in the sector remains strong despite uncertainties associated with the grid reform and UK politics, underpinned by the need for clean energy and a clear role for solar in the UK’s energy mix. However, while capital is ready to flow, delivery is still being constrained in some cases by a lack of grid infrastructure.
Grid connection delays remain one of the most significant barriers facing large-scale solar projects today. Limited substation capacity and long connection timelines continue to slow progress, while ongoing political uncertainty around the long-term direction of net zero policy beyond the current parliament adds a further layer of complexity for investors making long-term decisions.
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Taken together, these factors are holding back deployment at a time when momentum should be accelerating. The result is a growing disconnect between investor appetite and project delivery, where viable schemes are ready to move forward but are unable to do so at the pace required. The challenge now is alignment across the system.
While investor confidence remains high, legacy challenges are still weighing on delivery. Grid constraints, connection delays and planning complexity continue to slow progress at a time when capital is available and projects are ready to move forward.
However, there are early indications that the system is beginning to adapt. Government is increasingly adopting a more pragmatic, delivery-focused approach to infrastructure planning, particularly through the Development Consent Order (DCO) regime.
Historically, projects have been required to resolve key details, including grid connections, before consent is granted. While this approach offers certainty, it has also contributed to delays where elements sit outside a developer’s direct control. What is now emerging is a more flexible model, with growing recognition that certain aspects of a project, particularly around grid connections, can be addressed post-consent without undermining the overall integrity of the scheme.
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This shift reflects a broader move towards prioritising delivery, enabling projects to progress while maintaining the necessary safeguards. For investors, this is a positive signal that the planning system is beginning to respond to the realities of an energy system in transition.
The recent Fenwick Solar Farm – a 237.5MW scheme – in Doncaster demonstrates what this more pragmatic approach looks like in practice. As the first energy DCO to be consented with grid connection options, the project represents a clear departure from traditional models.
The developer for Fenwick Solar, BOOM Power, is aiming to connect the solar farm to the nearby existing overhead line via a line drop option. However, the DCO application included a fallback option for the grid connection, with the other option including an optional 6.3km grid connection corridor to facilitate a point of connection at the existing National Grid Thorpe Marsh Substation.
The Environmental Statement and Planning Statement produced by AECOM for Fenwick Solar assessed the environmental and social effects and appraised its adherence with planning policy for both connection options. The Secretary of State granted consent for the project and retained this flexibility in the development consent, albeit with a clause that the developer could only deliver one or the other connection options.
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The decision allowed the developer to continue working with National Grid to determine the most appropriate post-consent connection strategy. It avoided having to pause the project while these conversations reached a conclusion – or forcing an early decision by the developer. The latter could have added unnecessary cost and time or introduced a risk that the project would not be delivered.
Other solar and energy generating projects have since expanded on the Fenwick Solar application, having been submitted to the relevant determining authority either with connection options or without a built and functional regional substation to connect the projects into.
By allowing connection options to remain open, the model recognises the dynamic nature of the electricity network and the need for flexibility as capacity evolves. It enables projects to maintain momentum, reducing the risk of delay while still ensuring that final connection solutions are robust and deliverable.
Crucially, Fenwick Solar also highlights the importance of collaboration. Its progress has been underpinned by close coordination between the developer, planning authorities, technical advisors and the grid operator. Rather than working in sequence, these stakeholders have worked together to address challenges early and keep the project moving forward. That collaborative, problem-solving approach is becoming essential in a system where planning, infrastructure and delivery are increasingly interconnected.
What Fenwick Solar demonstrates is that overcoming infrastructure barriers is not solely a matter of investment or policy change in isolation. It requires coordination across the entire system.
Grid capacity, planning frameworks and project development cannot be treated as separate challenges. Their value depends on how effectively they work together. Without enough grid capacity, projects simply can’t connect – and when planning systems don’t reflect the realities of delivery, even strong schemes can stall. Add in a lack of coordination between stakeholders and delays quickly become the norm rather than the exception.
This is a theme that runs across the wider energy transition. As seen in areas such as storage and heat infrastructure, system-wide alignment is often the difference between progress and delay. The same principle now applies to solar at scale.
The implications are clear for infrastructure investors. The fundamentals of the UK solar market remain strong. Demand for clean electricity continues to grow, supported by electrification across transport, heat and industry, while solar remains one of the most cost-effective forms of new generation.
However, the route to delivery is evolving. Understanding how projects navigate grid constraints, engage with the planning system and align with broader infrastructure considerations is becoming increasingly important. Projects that can demonstrate flexibility, strong stakeholder coordination and a clear pathway through these challenges are more likely to progress at pace.
This also places greater emphasis on the capabilities of development teams and partners. Those able to operate effectively within this more dynamic, collaborative environment will be best positioned to unlock value and deliver projects successfully.
The UK solar sector is at a pivotal moment. Investor confidence is high and the pipeline of projects continues to grow. Yet, without addressing the infrastructure and coordination challenges that sit behind delivery, there is a risk that this momentum slows at precisely the wrong time.
The emerging approach through the DCO regime, and the example set by Fenwick Solar, points to a way forward. By embracing flexibility, enabling collaboration and maintaining a clear focus on delivery, it is possible to unlock stalled schemes and accelerate progress without compromising on robustness or oversight.
This model provides a blueprint for how government, developers and investors can work together to deliver solar at scale. It shows what can be achieved when policy, planning and project teams align around a shared objective.
Read more about:
Neil Titley
Solar and battery lead, AECOM
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