£11bn investment in UK solar increases M&A activity

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the UK solar sector are increasing due to a £11 billion investment since 2013. That’s according to a new report which added the number of […]

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the UK solar sector are increasing due to a £11 billion investment since 2013.

That’s according to a new report which added the number of deals tracked in 2015 rose by 14%.

They represented a total acquisition of £1.6 billion of solar assets.

The report from Clean Energy Pipeline and law firm TLT stated the first quarter of 2016 “looked equally robust” with deals worth £333 million.

It estimated M&A activity will remain strong as further projects are under commission and will come to market once operational.

Maria Connolly, Head of Real Estate and Energy & Renewables at TLT said: “The large number of solar projects brought online in the last two years has created a large pool of de-risked assets that are attractive acquisition targets for institutional and other low risk investors. This is likely to continue well into 2017.

“Many transactions in the early part of 2016 relate to disposal of operational projects that were commissioned by 31st March 2015 or the disposal of consented projects that qualify for the grace period. The main activity is coming from further disposals of projects, largely on a portfolio basis.”

Economic support to solar projects in the UK will fall to £2 million per year, according to the Solar Trade Association.

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