Burges Salmon’s Renewables team, led by partner Ross Fairley, has advised international renewable energies player Voltalia on its PPA tender to the City of London Corporation to build a 49.9-megawatt solar power plant to supply green electricity to the City.
The 15-year contract sees Voltalia strengthen its presence across the UK, in a ‘pioneering’ £40 million green energy deal that could provide a blueprint for local authorities seeking to reduce carbon emissions and cut costs. The transaction is a first of its kind in the UK to be signed directly between a renewables producer and governing authority. The PPA comprises the purchase of all the electricity produced by a new-build 95,000-panel solar farm in Dorset for 15 years.
Voltalia has had a presence in the UK since 2012, developing, constructing and operating 22 solar farms with a total capacity of 193 megawatts – with more in the pipeline.
Simon Holt, UK Country Manager at Voltalia, comments: “Burges Salmon has a long and impressive track record in corporate PPAs and were a great help to Voltalia in bringing this deal to fruition. Whilst Voltalia has enjoyed success in international markets, the specifics of the UK market and PPA expectations needed specialist care and attention. Ross Fairley was a valuable asset to our bid team giving us the knowledge and insight to put us in a winning position.”