Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has announced the acquisition of the 350-megawatt (MW) Mallard Pass solar project in the UK from Canadian Solar. The project, situated on the Rutland-Lincolnshire border in the East Midlands, marks Quinbrook's second nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP), following the Cleve Hill Solar project, the UK's first NSIP, which is nearing completion.
The Mallard Pass project is set to begin construction in 2026, with operations expected to commence in 2028. Quinbrook, in collaboration with its affiliate Private Energy Partners, will now proceed with the design, procurement, and construction planning phases.
Quinbrook plans to apply the lessons learned from Cleve Hill, which is scheduled to begin generating solar power in the coming quarter. Cleve Hill was the first NSIP to secure a Contract for Difference (CfD) in July 2022 as part of the UK's Allocation Round 4, and it holds a corporate power purchase agreement with Tesco.
“Renewable power projects of the scale of Cleve Hill and Mallard Pass help accelerate the UK's energy transition and decarbonisation along with enhanced resilience of energy supply,” said Keith Gains, Managing Director and UK regional leader for Quinbrook.
Gains further highlighted the potential of Mallard Pass, stating, “Mallard Pass represents another value-add investment opportunity for Quinbrook in large scale solar.” Quinbrook intends to leverage its extensive global experience in large-scale renewable energy development to integrate high-quality solar technology and innovation at Mallard Pass.
In addition to its focus on renewable energy, Quinbrook is committed to supporting the local community. The company has emphasized the potential for the project to create employment opportunities, with early analysis indicating that Mallard Pass could support over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs and contribute more than £124 million to the local economy over its lifetime.
Furthermore, Quinbrook aims to achieve a 71% biodiversity net gain at Mallard Pass, building on its experience from the Cleve Hill project, which achieved a 67% biodiversity net gain.
“Solar projects of this scale play an important role in the decarbonisation of the UK grid and our country's energy security,” said Rosalind Smith-Maxwell, Director for Quinbrook. “The investment in Mallard Pass is another excellent example of Quinbrook's focus on holistic and impactful investment in the infrastructure needed to advance the energy transition.
