EDF has signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) with renewable energy developer Aukera to offtake all electricity generated from the Benthead Solar Farm, a co-located solar and battery storage project in North Ayrshire, Scotland.
The 84.5-megawatt site, which includes a 31MW battery energy storage system (BESS), is expected to begin operations in 2026. Once operational, the project is projected to produce over 78.4 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually—enough to power more than 25,000 homes and avoid approximately 17,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
The agreement, EDF’s first with Aukera, will run for nine to 11 years, depending on the commissioning date of the battery system. Aukera owns 100% of the project, which will be developed as part of a 250MW UK portfolio.
EDF will also manage the battery’s optimisation through its PowerShift platform, using real-time, AI-driven trading to maximise grid and revenue performance. “We are proud to partner with Aukera on this exciting project which reflects our shared vision of a cleaner, more flexible energy system,” said Christopher Dalley, director of wholesale market services at EDF. “The integration of long-term PPA stability with cutting-edge battery optimisation through PowerShift demonstrates how EDF supports the UK’s net zero ambitions while unlocking greater value for renewable asset owners.”
The Benthead project was awarded a 15-year Contract for Difference (CfD) under Allocation Round 6 of the UK Government’s renewables support programme.
Pexapark advised Aukera on the transaction. “It has been a pleasure to support Aukera with this agreement, securing long-term revenues for Aukera’s first solar and storage hybrid project that will deliver significant value to the UK energy system,” said Mike Forber, regional lead for PPA and BESS transactions at Pexapark. “We expect PPAs for solar-plus-storage to increase significantly over the next few years, and deals like this help lay the groundwork for market growth.”
According to the UK’s Renewable Energy Planning Database, hybrid energy projects are on the rise, with 40% of wind and solar projects in advanced development now co-located with storage—representing 10.6GW of new capacity.
