UK-based Anesco has announced a strategic investment from Nature Infrastructure Capital (NIC) to support the expansion of its utility-scale solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects.
Nature Infrastructure Capital is a private equity firm focused on the global energy transition.
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Ara Partners, which has already invested in Anesco and specialises in industrial decarbonisation, will remain actively involved.
The co-investors aim to provide capital for the acceleration of more than 7GW of Anesco’s solar and BESS development pipeline across the UK and selected European markets, including Belgium and the Netherlands.
Anesco, established in 2010, has delivered 1.3GW of solar and battery storage projects in the UK to date. The company is said to have constructed the UK’s first subsidy-free solar farm and connected the country’s first utility-scale BESS.
With Ara Partners retaining its existing stake and NIC joining as a strategic investor, the aim is to speed up project delivery in response to growing demand for renewable energy and grid flexibility.
The partnership is also intended to support Anesco’s activities in additional European regions where the company reports a growing presence.
NIC Group managing partner Jérôme Turcotte Routhier said: “Together with Ara and the Anesco team, we look forward to deploying the capital needed to bring the company’s pipeline into construction and operation, in the UK and beyond.”
The UK government’s Clean Power 2030 targets call for at least 45GW of solar and 23GW of BESS capacity by the end of the decade, significantly higher than current installation levels.
The National Energy System Operator recently issued Gate 2 connection offers for projects expected to connect by 2030, with Anesco among those receiving offers for several projects in its pipeline.
Anesco CEO Hildagarde McCarville said: “We are delighted to welcome NIC as a shareholder and strategic partner at a pivotal moment in our growth journey. Their investment, alongside the continued commitment of our existing shareholder Ara, provides a powerful platform from which to accelerate the delivery of our project pipeline.
“Together, we bring highly complementary capabilities, combining deep sector expertise, financial strength and a shared long-term vision. This partnership enables us to realise our ambitions at greater scale and pace as we continue to develop and safely deliver renewable energy projects that support the energy transition across our core markets.”
