Downing LLP’s investment into solar assets that directly supply power to Northumbrian Water, a UK regulated utility company, is continuing momentum as another site becomes fully operational.
As part of the c.£10 million project with Northumbrian Water, Downing has worked with specialist solar developer and consultancy Ennoviga Solar Ltd (Ennoviga) on the development and construction of six ground-mounted solar generation facilities.
The facility to go live at Sedgeletch near Houghton-le-Spring is the latest from the wider project to go live – which aims to be completed by Q2 2023.
When fully operational, the Sedgeletch solar facility will generate a total of about 660 MWh of electricity annually that is delivered directly to Northumbrian Water operational assets helping the company to achieve its 2027 net zero target. The project will also make a contribution to the delivery of biodiversity net gains in respect of the UK Government’s Environment Act.
Sean Moore, Investment Director, at Downing, said:
“We are delighted to be going live with the latest in our series of solar projects for Northumbrian Water, which both helps deliver their net zero ambitions and underlines our commitment to responsible investing as a certified B Corp.
“Due to the nature of the sites that contain complex and essential infrastructure, there have been a number of intricate challenges to overcome during the construction process. We look forward to the final completion of the series of project for Northumbrian Water as more sites move into full management by Downing’s Infrastructure Asset Management Services.”
Anthony Browne, Energy and Decarbonisation Manager at Northumbrian Water, said:
“The new solar array at Sedgeletch forms part of our wider green energy generation strategy, which in turn plays a role in our ambitious goal of achieving Net Zero in 2027.
“As with many of the ways in which we are working to reduce our carbon emissions, implementing this strategy requires working with specialist partners to share expertise and experience as we innovate towards a greener future, working closely with Downing and Ennoviga we have been able to develop sites so that they improve sustainability, affordability and biodiversity.”
