The Anonymous Widower

UK’s Largest Solar Plant Cleve Hill Supplying Full Power To The Grid

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Solar Power Portal.

This is the sub-heading.

Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners has completed construction and started commercial operations of the 373MW Cleve Hill Solar Park, now the largest operational in the UK.

Note.

1. According to Quinbrook, during the commissioning phase in May, electricity exports from Cleve Hill peaked at a level equivalent to 0.7% of the UK’s national power demand.
2. Construction of the 373 MW solar project began in 2023, and Quinbrook said construction is now underway on a 150 MW co-located battery energy storage system (BESS).
3. The gas-fired power stations at Coolkeeragh, Corby, Enfield, Great Yarmouth and Shoreham are all around 410-420 MW for comparison.
4. On completion of the BESS, Cleve Hill will go from the largest solar plant in the UK to the largest co-located solar plus storage project constructed in the UK.
5. The solar and storage plant was the first solar power project to be consented as a nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) and is supported by the largest solar + BESS project financing undertaken in the UK.

This Google Map shows the location of the solar farm with respect to Faversham.

Note.

The town of Faversham to the left of the middle of the map.

Faversham station has the usual railway station logo.

The North Kent coast is at the top of the map.

Cleve Hill Solar Park is on the coast to the East of the River  Swale.

This second Google Map shows a close up of the solar farm.

Note.

1. The large number of solar panels.
2. The North Kent coast is at the top of the map.
3. The River Swale in the South-West corner of the map.
4. It appears that Cleve Hill substation is at the right edge of the map.
5. The boxes at the left of the substation appear to be the batteries.
6. The 630 MW London Array wind farm, which has been operational since 2013, also connects to the grid at Cleeve Hill substation.
7. When completed, the London Array was the largest offshore wind farm in the world.

As a Control Engineer, I do like these Battery+Solar+Wind power stations, as they probably provide at least a reliable 500 MW electricity supply.

Could A System Like Cleeve Hill Solar Park Replace A 410 MW Gas-Fired Power Station?

The three elements of Cleeve Hill are as follows.

• Solar Farm – 373 MW
• BESS – 150 MW
• Wind Farm – 630 MW

That is a total of only 1,153 MW, which means a capacity factor of only 35.6 % would be needed.

How Much Power Does A Large Solar Roof Generate?

Some people don’t like solar panels on farmland, so how much energy  do solar panels on a warehouse roof generate?

This Google Map shows Amazon’s warehouse at Tilbury.

I asked Google AI to tell me about Amazon’s solar roof at Tilbury and it said this.

Amazon’s solar roof at the Tilbury fulfillment center is the largest rooftop solar installation at any Amazon site in Europe, featuring 11,500 panels across the two-million-square-foot roof. Unveiled in 2020, it is part of Amazon’s larger goal to power its operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025 and reduce its emissions, contributing to its Climate Pledge to be net-zero carbon by 2040.

It generates 3.4 MW, which is less that one percent of Cleeve Hill Solar Park.

October 27, 2025 - Posted by AnonW | Artificial Intelligence, Energy, Energy Storage | Amazon, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Cleve Hill Solar Park, Google AI, London Array Wind Farm, Solar Power, Solar Roofs, Tilbury, Wind Power