KAJIMA’S RENEWABLES JV TAIYO SELLS 37.3MW SOLAR SITE IN DEVON TO INFINIS SOLAR DEVELOPMENTS LIMITED

Taiyo Power & Storage (Taiyo), Kajima’s joint venture Low Carbon Alliance, has sold its 37.3 Megawatts (MW) greenfield solar project in East Devon at "Ready-to-Build" stage, to Infinis Solar Developments Limited.

Ford Oaks is expected to produce 37.9 GWh of renewable energy per year and bring approximately 45 hectares of green infrastructure improvements, including tree and hedgerow planting. Situated next to the A30, close to Exeter Airport and approximately four miles east of Exeter city centre, the approved scheme, which will be built across 58 hectares of land, will help power 18,500 homes and offset 25,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

With planning consent in place, the scheme is expected to start producing energy by 2026.

Ford Oaks will positively contribute towards the climate emergency by aligning with the Devon County Green Infrastructure Strategy, the Devon Climate Declaration and government targets to increase solar power capacity to 50GW by 2030. The scheme is forecast to deliver a substantial biodiversity net gain of 121% against a national target of 10%, enhancing wildlife in the valley and reducing existing flooding issues.

Since its inception in 2021, Taiyo has been developing a portfolio of ground-mounted solar and battery energy storage facilities across the UK. This initiative aims to align with the UK Government's pledge to achieve a net zero carbon footprint by 2050 and to fulfil Kajima's objective to develop 3.5GW of renewable energy projects across Europe over the next five years.

Chris Gill, Director at Taiyo Power & Storage and Investment Director & Head of Renewables at Kajima, said: "As our first project to achieve planning consent, the subsequent sale of Ford Oaks represents a key milestone in our strategy to deliver renewable energy across the UK. We are committed to developing additional solar energy assets to enhance the UK's renewable energy capacity in the coming years. This will help local communities and the nation achieve greater climate resilience while contributing to more affordable energy bills."