Breakthrough UK renewable energy developer is on course to submit planning applications for schemes with a combined renewable installed capacity of 750MW by end of Q2 2024
Queequeg Renewables aims for 750MW of UK renewable energy projects in H1 2024
- Posted: 31 January 2024
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A solar panel farm in England
Queequeg Renewables, the UK-based breakthrough developer of renewable energy sites, is on track to submit planning permission for more than a dozen renewable energy projects across the UK by the end of June this year, the company announced today. The projects are in addition to Queequeg’s submission to Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council before Christmas for a new 40MW battery energy storage facility near Stockport, Greater Manchester.
The projects are located across the UK and cover a range of renewable energy schemes including sites for solar installations, onshore wind, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for storing energy from solar and onshore wind. The schemes also include combined co-located hybrid solar and BESS installations.
From the Project Development Director
The UK is one of the most advanced markets in the world for distributed energy projects, said Mark Roberts, Project Development Director at Queequeg Renewables. These projects are key to the UK’s energy transition in accordance with its net zero targets.Mark Roberts Project Development Director at Queequeg Renewables
“The UK is one of the most advanced markets in the world for distributed energy projects,” said Mark Roberts, Project Development Director at Queequeg Renewables. “These projects are key to the UK’s energy transition in accordance with its net zero targets.”
Roberts identified a range of factors that are driving investment and planning for renewable schemes across the UK, including government policy, new developments in renewable technologies, improved access to the national energy grid, and the goal of greater energy independence and security.
“From a policy perspective, the UK has ambitious targets in place for reducing carbon emissions and growing the contribution of renewables to the country’s energy mix,” explained Roberts. “Policies such as the 2008 Climate Change Act and the Renewable Energy Roadmap have put in place a regulatory framework that encourages investment in long-term renewable schemes.”
Roberts went on, “Ongoing advances in solar, wind and battery storage technologies also improve the feasibility and efficiency of proposed projects, which in turn makes them more attractive to investors and planners. And as installation costs for renewables fall and become more competitive versus traditional energy sources, developers can secure funding and gain planning approval for their proposed projects more easily.”
“Another important development is much better access to the national grid. Previously, long connection queues delayed renewable installations from connecting to the grid and delivering their energy. But recent changes in distribution and transmission policies by grid operators have removed these obstacles and made connecting and monetising the energy generated by renewables faster and easier for developers.”
“Finally, customer demand for clean, carbon-free renewable energy together with concerns about energy security have both risen over recent years. Diversifying the energy mix and growing the contribution from renewables helps the UK to become more energy independent and preserve the environment as well.”
Against this backdrop, Roberts is mindful of the concerns and priorities for landowners who are considering leasing their land as a going concern for use by renewable developers.
“Landowners seek trustworthy, dependable professionals with the insight, expertise and experience to deliver renewable schemes,” he said. “A single renewable scheme could be operational on a landowner’s property for up to 40 years. In such a long process, honesty, accountability and good communication between all parties is essential.”
“Queequeg’s senior management team between them has more than one hundred years of experience in the renewables sector, and with our level of insight we can select sites for projects that are commercially viable, have the required grid connectivity, and which are also free from serious planning constraints. And where planning constraints do exist, we take a proactive approach to working with them.”
Roberts concluded, “Queequeg’s special combination of experience and expertise, means that – unlike other developers – we can be honest, up-front and transparent with landowners and other stakeholders in delivering long-term, lucrative renewable energy schemes.”