UK renewable energy developer OnPath Energy has achieved financial close on the Common Farm Solar Park, its first co-located solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) project.
Located near the Todwick Road Industrial Estate in Dinnington, South Yorkshire, east of Sheffield, the project combines a 49 MW solar farm with a 50 MW / 100 MWh BESS.
To secure debt financing, OnPath separated the commercial offtake structures for the generation and storage assets. The 49 MW solar farm is backed by a subsidy-free, long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with an undisclosed “global technology firm,” whereas the 100 MWh battery will trade under a third-party optimization agreement. In June, the company moved to de-risk its storage portfolio via fixed-revenue offtake structures with SmartestEnerg, which may focus on this project.
NatWest is providing financing for the development, with the financing package including a term loan and other ancillary facilities to support the project through construction and operations. Construction is already underway, with completion targeted for mid-2027.
“While there are currently few co-located sites across the UK, especially at this scale, it makes technical and operational sense to place solar and battery technologies in the same location and allows for efficient use to be made of the available grid connections,” said Oliver Hartley, finance director at OnPath Energy.
OnPath Energy said that infrastructure consultancy AECOM is serving as lead consultant on the project, while engineering firm Grupotec is responsible for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) work, as well as operations and maintenance (O&M) services once the project enters operation.
The Common Farm financing follows steady growth in OnPath Energy’s standalone storage pipeline. Formerly known as Banks Renewables before its acquisition by Brookfield Asset Management, the developer has accumulated roughly 250 MW of consented or under-construction battery storage across the UK, including planning approval for a 200 MW BESS in West Lothian, Scotland.
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