Tesco and Shell to power stores and EV stations with output from UK’s largest solar farm, originally meant for homes

Tesco and Shell have struck a deal to buy the entire output from Cliff Hill Solar Farm, the UK’s largest solar project, which was initially planned to power 100,000 homes.

The agreement stipulates that 65% of the farm’s electricity will go to Tesco’s supermarkets, while Shell will manage the remaining 35% for its growing network of electric vehicle charging stations. The solar farm is expected to be operational in early 2025.

The Cliff Hill project, which sits on 860 acres of the Kent coast near Faversham, has been a source of controversy since its approval, with local opposition focusing on its impact on the Graveney Marshes, a site famous for its wildlife. Despite protests, the project was given the green light in 2020 by then Energy Minister Alok Sharma. The farm, once pitched as a solution to power local homes, is now being used to meet the demands of giant corporations.

Vicky Ellis, from the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Kent, expressed her frustration: “This project was approved on the basis that it would power homes, not petrol stations and supermarkets. The irony of a large supermarket and an oil company benefiting A giant project called the 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 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 roughly the length of a double-decker bus due to flood risks in the area.

The power purchase agreement between Tesco and Cleve Hill will account for up to 10% of UK electricity demand, helping the supermarket achieve its sustainability targets. Ken Murphy, CEO of Tesco, said: “The Cliff Hill Solar Park, with its capacity to generate up to 10% of the UK’s electricity demand, joins a number of other power purchase agreements we have announced over the past five years.” .

Meanwhile, Shell’s portion of production will support its electric vehicle charging network across the UK. With a 10-year agreement in place, Shell’s participation underscores its ambitions in the renewable energy market, despite ongoing criticism of its core oil business. Robin Tanna, head of energy trading at Shell Energy Europe, stressed that renewable energy deals such as Cliff Hill are essential to achieving the UK’s net-zero emissions targets.

The Cliff Hill Solar Farm is expected to outperform larger projects approved by the UK Government, including the 600MW Cottam Solar Farm in Lincolnshire. Chris Hewitt, CEO of Solar Energy UK, noted that the industry aims to triple solar capacity by 2030, saying: “We can expect to see more deals like this in the coming years, as the industry expands to 50 gigawatts of capacity.” Obstetrics.

Despite its environmental benefits, Cliff Hill continues to generate controversy. Ms. Ellis and other critics say turning the marshes into a commercial energy hub harms its natural beauty and wildlife, undermining the original promise of providing green energy to local homes. As the UK races to expand renewable energy infrastructure, tension between corporate interests, environmental sustainability and local communities remains an ongoing issue.