GLIL Infrastructure and Bluefield Solar have expanded their UK renewable energy partnership with a third-stage investment in a 250-megawatt solar and storage portfolio, strengthening their presence in the country’s clean energy sector.
The investment, made through their joint venture Lyceum Solar, involves GLIL acquiring a 75% stake in seven assets located across southern and central England. The portfolio includes one operational solar site, a battery energy storage system under construction, and four ready-to-build solar projects. Several of the assets have secured Contracts for Difference (CfDs) under Allocation Rounds 5 and 6.
“This completes what is now one of the largest and most diverse solar and battery portfolios in the UK,” said Jing Zhao, deputy portfolio manager at GLIL. “Our partnership with Bluefield Solar is just one of the ways that we’re securing UK opportunities in infrastructure that will deliver stable, inflation-linked returns to our members, while also supporting economic growth and job creation.”
The latest acquisition follows an initial £200 million investment in December 2023 that established a 247MW portfolio of 58 operational projects, and a further £141 million investment in July 2024. The three stages together bring the joint venture’s total capacity to 626MW.
“In just 18 months Bluefield, with GLIL, has built one of the premier solar and battery portfolios in the UK with an energy capacity of 626MW,” said Neil Wood, partner at Bluefield Partners, the investment adviser to Bluefield Solar. “By combining long-term capital with Bluefield’s operational expertise, we are delivering scalable solar and storage projects that enhance grid resilience and support energy independence.”
GLIL said the transaction aligns with its strategy to increase exposure to development and construction-phase assets, as part of its wider £4.1 billion infrastructure investment programme on behalf of UK pension funds.
