(London, 6th April 2023) Low Carbon Alliance Ltd today announced the completion of the sale of Twitch Hill Solar Farm on 31st March 2023 with Lynher Energy purchasing the 26.1MW solar farm in Shropshire from the owner and landlord Cheswell Grange.
Lynher Energy is a joint venture between Napier Park Global Capital (a leading alternative credit and real asset manager) and Ethical Power (the UK’s only vertically integrated renewable energy company) and focuses on developing and managing solar power generation and battery storage facilities.
Low Carbon Alliance and Cheswell Grange began working in 2020, to develop Twitch Hill Solar Farm as part of a regenerative and environmental plan to respond to the climate emergency and commitments declared by Lillieshall Parish and Telford and Wrekin Council.
The project received planning permission in July 2022 for a solar facility that delivers clean, renewable energy to the grid, providing the equivalent electricity for approximately 5,750 homes per year, saving potentially 8,150 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually from power generation alone.
The Twitch Hill Solar Farm is in 36ha of primarily Grade 3b agricultural land between Lilleshall and Newport. The area has not been utilised for crops and will now be repurposed for the solar park. To maximise land use, sheep will graze the land beneath and between the proposed solar arrays.
In addition to clean, renewable energy, the project will provide nearly 3.5km of new hedgerow with further mitigation and enhancement measures in place. The proposed design includes a species-rich wildflower meadow as well as rewilding and strategic tree planting that will create new habitats for farmland and woodland bird species and deliver a significant biodiversity net gain across the wider site.
Chris Sparrow, Principal at Napier Park, comments: “We were pleased to have successfully completed the transaction with Low Carbon Alliance and Cheswell Grange. This acquisition aligns with our long-term business strategy of investment in sustainable green infrastructure and Twitch Hill Solar Farm is a valuable addition to our expanding solar and battery storage portfolio in the UK. We are excited to continue our collaboration with Ethical Power to ensure the highest quality build of the project and maximize the value of our investment.”
Simon Crowe, Managing Director of Low Carbon Alliance, noted that: “We are proud to support our clients at Cheswell Grange by securing the sale of the solar facility as part of their regenerative and environmental plans, whilst delivering projects that support the UK’s net zero targets.”
The planned exit reflects the successful culmination of Low Carbon Alliance’s partnership strategy for the Twitch Hill Solar Farm.
Neil & Susanna Harley of Cheswell Grange said: “We are delighted to have completed the sale of the solar facility on our property which will support the fight against climate change and help secure the businesses future for us, our children and our employees at a challenging time for farmers.”
On this transaction, Lynher Energy was advised by Osborne Clarke on the legal due diligence and asset purchase agreement negotiations and Green Cat Renewables on the technical due diligence. Thrings provided legal advice to Cheswell Grange.
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About Low Carbon Alliance
Low Carbon Alliance is a professional Chartered Surveying and Engineering Consultancy, specialising in the space where property meets energy. The team of professionals have over 50 years of combined experience in commercial property development, investment and refurbishment as well as the development of building-integrated and stand-alone renewable and reserve power, low-carbon energy plants and energy storage facilities. It is proud to be the first solar developer to be audited against the Building with Nature (BwN) standards.
About Lynher Energy
Lynher Energy is the joint venture established by Napier Park Global Capital and Ethical Power to invest in large-scale solar and battery storage assets in the UK and Europe. The combination of Napier Park’s extensive experience in sponsoring industry-leading joint ventures combined with Ethical Power’s capabilities and knowledge in the development, construction, operation and maintenance of large and complex solar projects offers the ability to develop high-quality, valuable assets while pursuing a long-term goal of reducing carbon consumption and transitioning toward green energy resources.