Tesco and Shell have struck a deal to purchase the entire output from the Cleve Hill solar farm, the UK’s largest solar project, which was initially planned to power 100,000 homes.
The agreement sees 65% of the farm’s electricity going to Tesco’s supermarkets, while Shell will manage the remaining 35% for its growing network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The solar farm is expected to go online in early 2025.
The Cleve Hill project, situated on 860 acres of the Kent coast near Faversham, has been a source of controversy since its approval, with local opposition focused on its impact on the Graveney Marshes, a site renowned for its wildlife. Despite protests, the project was greenlit in 2020 by then energy secretary Alok Sharma. The farm, once pitched as a solution to power local homes, is now being used to meet the demands of corporate giants.
Vicky Ellis of CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) Kent voiced frustration, stating: “This project was approved on the premise that it would power homes, not petrol stations and supermarkets. The irony of a major supermarket and an oil giant benefitting from a project labelled as a green energy initiative is not lost on us.”
The project, financed by US-based Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, will include 560,000 solar panels, generating 373 megawatts (MW) of power—equivalent to half the output of a small gas-fired power station. Some of the solar panels will be mounted on steel frames almost as tall as a double-decker bus due to flood risks in the area.
Support authors and subscribe to content
This is premium stuff. Subscribe to read the entire article.
