As Britain’s greenest university, Manchester is top-ranked in the UK and third in the world for its benchmarks achieved against the independent 2024 QS World University Sustainability Rankings.   All its degree programmes are certified against the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

“She’s electric. Can I be electric, too?”

Now all its buildings and institutes – including part of the world-ranking Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, the Alliance Business School, the John Rylands Library and the Schuster physics labs where the Nobel-prize winning material graphene was developed by UK-citizens Professors Andre Geim & Kostya Novoselov in 2004 – will from autumn 2025 be powered by clean electricity made from Essex’s light.

Famously rainy Manchester’s biggest university has signed a deal with PV park developers Environmena, to buy four-fifths of the 58GWh output of the developers’ approved solar farm at Medebridge, close to South Ockendon and the Thames.

Expected to generate first late next year, the Medebridge project’s 104,000 solar panels will cover 175 acres of low-grade agricultural land – around 70 football pitches’ worth – next to a landfill site. At just over 46GWh every year, the Essex farm’s low carbon current will meet 65 per cent of the University’s power needs.

Enviromena says Medebridge will deliver greater biodiversity to Essex’s estuary edgelands. Preserved native grasses and wildflower meadows will surround the panels’ racks, encouraging nesting sites & rearing of wildlife, including bugs at the bottom of food chains.

“All I need is the air that I breathe”

Off-taking most of the farm’s clean power for a committed decade will speed Manchester University on its journey to intended carbon neutrality by 2038.  In 2022 the uni voted to terminate its investments in coal, oil and gas, and to reduce the carbon intensity of its other endowments by 37%.

Professor of climate and energy policy Carly McLachlan, the university’s academic lead for carbon, observed: “The important thing for us in developing this relationship (with Enviromena) was that our commitment would add new renewable energy capacity to the UK electricity system. Through our long-term purchasing commitment, we have played a key role in bringing this development forward – maximising the positive impact of our purchasing power.”

Baggy, not boggy. Still “mad for it…”

Finance manager Lee Barlow, the university’s lead on the Essex-sourced deal, added: “After nearly three years of rigorous procurement negotiations, we are proud to announce this landmark agreement, which (delivers) price certainty and supply stability.

“Securing this 10-year corporate PPA despite such adversity is a huge accomplishment and holds special significance as we celebrate the University’s bicentennial year.”

Enviromena’s chief commercial officer Lee Adams responded: “This significant partnership with the University of Manchester demonstrates the shared commitment of an influential, large-scale organisation, which, at the time it celebrates its 200-year anniversary, is taking steps towards reducing its carbon footprint through the technologies of tomorrow”

Founded in Britain by Sami Khoreibi in 2007, Enviromena is privately owned by investors Arjun Infrastructure Partners.

The developer currently manages over 300MW of renewables projects, including in the UAE, Egypt & Jordan. In the UK and Italy alone it is bringing forward elements in a 3GW-plus pipeline of green energy projects.

Straight outta Purfleet, twisting my melons

For investors Arjun Infrastructure, head of ESG Rhyadd Keaney-Watkins commented: “For Arjun and our investors, this deal between Manchester University and Enviromena is an exciting example of the positive real-world outcomes which infrastructure can deliver.

“With a fivefold increase in the UK’s solar generation capacity needed by 2035, and with more and more institutions following Manchester University’s leadership in decarbonising operations, there is an important role for developers such as Enviromena to deliver the ‘green electrons’ needed as part of net zero and the energy transition.”

Interest declared: the author was educated in south Essex and in Manchester

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Sited close to the Thames near Orsett, Medebridge is consented and ready to build.   Construction will begin this summer, with completion expected in the summer of 2025.

Once operational it will generate 71,000MWh every year, enough to power over 26,000 homes and avoid 13,500 tonnes of CO₂ emissions.

The purchase comes part of Enviromena’s strategy to deliver 500MW of operational solar projects. It bought the project from sustainable infrastructure investors NTR plc

The buy was supported by last year’s fund raise of £65m undertaken with investors Arjun Infrastructure Partners.

The plot comes with a grid connection, and land agreements all in place to facilitate the build.

Enviromena CEO Chris Marsh said: “The acquisition of Medebridge represents a significant milestone, as we continue to drive forward with our plans to deliver 500MW of operational solar projects.

“Supported by Arjun’s investment, we have worked collaboratively with NTR throughout the transaction and we are delighted to announce its completion.”

Julian Skinner, Arjun Infrastructure Partners’ head of asset management said: “We are delighted to see the hard work put in by the Enviromena team come to fruition.

“Arjun looks forward to continuing to support Enviromena’s growth, which will make a major contribution to the decarbonisation of the UK energy market.”

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The arrangement with Close follows the announcement that the Reading-based company has just completed a major equity raise of £65m. This gives Enviromena funding of up to £270m to facilitate the build out of its ever-growing pipeline.

In addition to the 500MW target, Enviromena will also utilise the funding to grow its self-developed ground mount solar pipeline to more than 2GW by 2025.

The firm says its pipeline is already looking strong, with over 400MW of projects set to be submitted into planning in the next six to nine months.

The funding will also enable the company acquire ready-to-build, fully consented solar projects from third parties to help turbo charge its growth plans.

Headquartered in Berkshire and with a regional office in Italy, Enviromena delivers transformative clean energy solutions across Europe. It vaunts more than 15 years’ global experience in developing, designing, constructing, managing and operating ground-breaking renewable energy projects.

Enviromena has already constructed over 120 solar farms in the UK and is set to announce the commencement of works on over 150MW of solar, include many due to commence in 2024.

Christina Allen, the developer’s chief legal officer added: “We are delighted to complete on this facility with Close Brothers. We have worked extremely hard to bring this together and create a long-term relationship allowing us to focus on growing the business and to build out our extensive pipeline. We are looking forward to working with Close over the coming years as we continue to contribute to the UK’s Net Zero ambitions.

Enviromena CEO Chris Marsh said: “Close Brothers have a strong track record in the renewables industry, so we are delighted to announce this latest arrangement.

“Enviromena is committed to leading the transition to a world powered by clean energy by providing safe, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions to customers across the UK and Europe.

Richie Kidd, head of sales for Close Brothers’ energy team, commented that “working closely with Enviromena for a number of years, we’re delighted to support the team in providing facilities that will allow them to grow their portfolio in both the construction and acquisition of projects.”

Pictured is the developer’s Bryngwyog solar farm in Wales.

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Sparking up of the 30-acre plot follows the company’s successful equity flotation of £65million, supporting its goal to boost by 2025 its constructed and operational UK portfolio to over 500MW of solar.  Over 80% of that figure is already generating, with another 200MW at various stages of planning consent.

The 8.99 MWp project at Bryngolwg, 20 miles east of Swansea, has capacity to power a nominal 2,500 homes, offsetting around 3,700 tonnes of carbon emissions ever year for the next 40.   That’ll take the west Wales plant beyond the Principality’s goal of achieving Net Zero by 2050.

The project is constructed on low grade agricultural land, previously associated with coal mining.  Rhigos Community Council supports it.  Only twelve months ago, councillors on Rhondda Cynon Taf’s planning committee unanimously gave the farm their permission.

With all existing hedgerows retained, the development introduces extra planting of native bushes and trees in a biodiversity area. Sheep will continue to graze on the site, helping to increase the scheme’s considerable net gain in biodiversity.

Enviromena will manage the farm under a long-term O&M contract, which includes monitoring for performance security, maintenance and landscape management.

Chief operating officer Gary Hales said: “We are pleased to have energised our first project in Wales, safely and on time. The team has designed and constructed a high yielding project which can help to make a difference in achieving Wales’s net zero targets.”

The deal includes the developers funding a solar roof for a village hall run by Rhigos Community Council, cutting power bills and shrinking the rural settlement carbon footprint.

“Supporting the local community is one of our core values”, said Lee Adams, Enviromena’s sales director.

“Our commitment to leave all the communities and places that we touch in better condition than when we arrived begins with constantly evaluating the long-term impacts of all that we do.”

Enviromena has a second solar project on nearby land currently before planners.  The company anticipates their decision before March.

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