PACE Canada team grows as Jon Poulin joins the team as Development Director
PACE Canada is delighted to announce the appointment of Jon Poulin as Director of Development and Engineering to work with the existing team and drive the development of the current 1.9GW solar and battery storage portfolio in Canada.
Jon will lead the team in Calgary under the Managing Director of Development, Claude Mindorff. He will work with the local and wider international team to bring new approaches to the renewable sector to meet the current and upcoming needs of the Alberta Integrated Electrical System energy only market.
Jon has 15 years of experience across generation, transmission, and mining sectors including renewables and battery energy storage. With a rich background in project management and electrical engineering, Jon has directly supported the development of over 800MW in projects across Alberta and including building one of the first independently owned distribution-connected solar facility in Saskatchewan.
Rob Denman, President of PACE Canada and Managing Director of Pathfinder Clean Energy said: “We are delighted to welcome Jon to the team. Even though we have had some political challenges in Alberta - that we hope to clear early in 2024 - we strongly believe in clean energy and how we can bring solar, energy storage and additional technologies to the market to the benefit of the country. By combining the talents and experience of our international team with the growing local capabilities we look forward to Jon leading the on-the-ground Development to make a significant contribution to decarbonising the Alberta and wider Canadian markets.”
For more information on joining PACE or working with PACE please email: careers@pathfinderce.com
Pathfinder Clean Energy submits planning appeal for 6MW solar farm in Gloucestershire, UK
Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE), a UK-headquartered international developer of utility scale solar and battery storage projects, has submitted into appeal the Stream 6 MW project near Upleadon in the Forest of Dean.
The proposed ground-mounted scheme, known as Stream Solar, would generate enough power for around 2,800 homes each year which is the equivalent of displacing over 1,900 tonnes of CO2e. It was refused by Forest of Dean’s planning committee against the advice of its planning officers, which led to PACE deciding to submit an appeal to the Secretary of State. A decision is expected within months.
Alex Ross, Development Director of Pathfinder Clean Energy said: “PACE agrees with the planning officers that Stream is a great site for a solar farm and we are confident that the appeal will gain the support of the Planning Inspector in the next few months. This project has been in development for a considerable time as we carefully considered the location and design to bring forward the best project we can. PV panels have an extremely light footprint within the fields they occupy, leaving many opportunities to improve biodiversity through active management for ecological and wildlife enhancements”.
“The solar farm will increase the wildlife habitat by creating new meadows, increasing hedgerows and native species planting, and temporarily replacing arable land with meadow and grazing. No agricultural land will be lost and sheep can graze under and around the solar panels during operation.”.
Rob Denman, Managing Director, also added, ‘Although one of our smaller sites we are committed to developing projects that fit with the local environment and consider our proposals balance the local requirements of this site. We look forward to engaging with the appeal process and coming to a positive outcome’.
Pathfinder Clean Energy commences development for Middle Road Solar - a 49MW solar farm, co-located with BESS in Fenland, Cambridgeshire, UK
Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE), a UK-headquartered international developer of utility scale solar and battery storage projects, has commenced the development and EIA screening for its latest project - Middle Road Solar - a 49MW solar project co-located with battery energy storage near Whittlesey.
The proposed ground-mounted scheme, known as Middle Road Solar, would generate enough power for nearly 24,000 homes each year or the CO2 emissions equivalent of removing over 13,000 passenger vehicles from the road. The proposals also include 30MW of battery energy storage.
Rob Denman, Managing Director at PACE said, “This project will build on PACE’s recent successes, including the 50MW Grange Solar Farm approved in October. Middle Road will supply clean renewable energy to the local area while its batteries will ensure this energy is available when it is most needed. As with all our projects, we will be seeking significant biodiversity gains to tackle the country’s combined challenges of climate change, energy security and species decline. The full planning application is expected to be submitted in early 2024.”
PACE UK prioritizes utility scale Solar + BESS co-location to unlock value from renewables assets
The innovation necessary to ensure the successful delivery of the energy transition presents investors with opportunities to optimise their portfolios with new asset classes capable of providing healthy returns and supporting accelerated paths to decarbonisation.
One of the key answers to intermittent production, energy curtailment and grid limitations are Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) that can provide resilience and flexibility to energy markets. The co-location of BESS and renewable energy infrastructure, such as solar, presents a logical and innovative solution.
Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE), the UK-headquartered international developer of utility scale solar PV and BESS projects, is to prioritise co-location in the UK as it seeks to lead the industry in developing strong and flexible assets.
Utility scale co-location is an emerging asset class, with limited transactional data currently available, but PACE’s analysis suggests that it can provide a premium of up to 3 percentage points on the returns over and above stand-alone merchant PV assets. At the same time, exposure to merchant price risk is lower than that of stand-alone PV assets.
“Co-location has huge potential to increase returns and reduce risk as well as providing a better asset for the UK energy market. PACE sees co-location as critical to its strategy in the UK and internationally,” said Rob Denman, managing director of PACE. “As an industry we need to innovate constantly to deliver projects that bring value to the energy markets and their transition to decarbonisation. At PACE, we’re proud to lead this activity.”
The benefits of co-location include:
- Increased resilience of income – Renewable energy brings lower cost electricity to the market, but its intermittency brings volatility. As wind and solar grows in the UK and global power mix, colocation of generation and storage assets increases resilience:
- Reducing energy waste – during periods of curtailment, also forecast to increase with growing renewables deployment, power generated by solar panels can be diverted from grid export to the BESS, meaning less power is wasted.
- Improving price capture (compared to a stand-alone PV system) – power generated does not need to be sold immediately, but can be stored and sold when prices are more favourable.
- Hedging price risk – Where solar PV projects are entirely dependent on absolute power values, BESS projects trade primarily off the volatility in the intra-day power markets. Co-location thus reduces price risk in 2 ways:
- Mutual price hedging - High levels of solar PV output can depress or “cannibalise” power prices because demand for power rarely matches peaks in solar PV output. However, cannibalisation creates arbitrage opportunities for BESS, which can buy power when it is cheap and dispatch the power when prices have firmed up. Likewise, lower cannibalisation will favour solar PV at the expense of BESS. The two technologies thus provide a mutual hedge for a key price risk.
- Un-correlated revenues - BESS projects have access to revenues that are independent of absolute power prices, such as Dynamic Containment – the ability to manage the balance of supply and demand in real-time - and other ancillary services, the capacity market and local balancing. This means that BESS revenues are only partially correlated with solar PV revenues, providing further risk mitigation.
- Shared grid connection costs – a single connection can be used for both the PV and BESS system, which reduces the costs when compared to stand-alone assets. PACE’s modelling suggests that a stand-alone asset might use around 14% of total grid capacity over the course of a year, whereas a co-located asset, in the same location, might use around 29% of grid capacity. This is partly attributable to the BESS using the grid connection to import and export power when the solar PV is not using all of the connection capacity. In particular, power markets are at their most volatile on winter evenings when the grid connection is not used by the solar PV.
As well as improved financial returns, co-located assets help to relieve grid congestion at peak generation times by delaying power exports. This allows for more renewables to be connected without the need for investment in the grid, meaning that the Government’s net zero pledges can be met at a lower cost.
PACE has over 260 MWp of solar projects fully permitted or submitted into planning and across this portfolio is looking to co-locate over 100 MW / 200 MWh of energy storage. Over 120 MWp of solar and 90 MW / 180 MWh is targeted to commence construction in 2024.
Also read our article on clean energy, the: ‘Sunrise Investment’
PACE Canada LP Announces Completion of First Solar Project - Youngstown Solar
PACE Canada LP Announces Completion of First Solar Project - Youngstown Solar
ALBERTA, CANADA - The joint venture PACE Canada LP is pleased to announce the successful completion of their inaugural solar project, Youngstown, with an installed capacity of 7.85 MWp. PACE Canada LP is a limited partnership jointly and equally owned by Pathfinder Clean Energy, a global clean energy development and investment company, and GOLDBECK SOLAR, a German EPC company specializing in the construction of large-scale solar power plants. Youngstown is the first of a significant pipeline of projects being developed by PACE Canada.
Situated near the Village of Youngstown in Special Areas 2 in central Alberta, the solar project is a significant step toward renewable energy utilization in the region. In addition to Youngstown, the Joffre Solar Power Project has already commenced construction this year and is projected to contribute 61 MWp of capacity. PACE would especially like to thank the Special Areas Board in their support of renewable energy development in the region.
Approximately 13,000 Megawatt Hours of “Green Electricity” Annually
The Youngstown solar park, equipped with an installed capacity of 7.85 MWp, is expected to generate approximately 13,000 megawatt hours of clean, renewable “green electricity” annually. This eco-friendly power will be seamlessly integrated into the Alberta Interconnected Electric System (AIES). The output generated by the solar park will power the equivalent of approximately 1,900 four-person households with sustainable energy, making a significant impact on reducing carbon dioxide emissions by over 6,700 tonnes per year.
Solar Park Youngstown Completed on Schedule
PACE Canada is a market-leading platform for clean energy development and investment in Canada and manages the entire project value chain, from site selection to permitting, planning, financing, and offtake agreements.
The expertise and dedication of the EPC company GOLDBECK SOLAR contributed significantly to the timely construction, through the winter, of the “Youngstown” solar park and its connection into the electricity network
Rob Denman, President of PACE Canada and Managing Director of Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE Group) said, ‘This marks the completion of the first of PACE Canada’s utility-scale solar projects in Alberta. We intend to make a substantial contribution to the utility-scale clean energy market in Alberta and the wider Canadian market. We are committed to expanding our project pipeline, development, and delivery teams. Over the next three years, our goal is to connect a minimum of 300 MW of solar power and lead in the growth of the utility-scale solar, energy storage and green hydrogen sectors as they gain traction. to continuing to develop and operate clean energy in Alberta and working towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
Constantin Lindenmeyer, COO of GOLDBECK SOLAR Canada Corp. expressed his delight, saying, ‘Working alongside PACE Canada LP in the successful completion of the Youngstown solar project has been an honor for GOLDBECK SOLAR. We take pride in our unwavering commitment to a sustainable future in Alberta and are thrilled to contribute to the realization of this significant step towards renewable energy utilization in the region. The completion of Youngstown is a testament to our expertise and dedication to delivering market-leading clean energy solutions. Together through projects such as Youngstown Solar, PACE Canada and Goldbeck Solar are forging a greener, more sustainable future for Canada.’
About PACE Canada
PACE Canada LP is a limited partnership jointly and equally owned by Pathfinder Clean Energy, a global clean energy development and investment company, and GOLDBECK SOLAR, a German EPC company specializing in the construction of large-scale solar power plants.
Based in Calgary, Alberta, the company has 1GW+ of projects in development with an ambition to connect over 300MW in the next 3 years. PACE Canada lead by Director of Development Claude MIndorff and his Calgary based team, is a leading developer in the region and brings best practice across clean technologies including beyond solar, the evaluation and addition of energy storage and green hydrogen as these markets develop. PACE is also proud to be a leader in the integration of clean energy with agriculture to maximize the benefits that clean energy can bring to the rural Alberta communities in which it operates.
More information about PACE Canada LP is available at pacecanadalp.com.
About Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE)
Pathfinder Clean Energy is headquartered in London, UK, and is a global developer and investor into clean energy with projects and interests in the UK, Europe and Canada. With a significant advanced portfolio of over 1.5GW of utility scale solar and energy storage projects it is expanding its operations to make a significant contribution to the challenge of achieving net zero.
With 80+ years combined team experience PACE has an enviable track record in clean energy development, construction, finance and operation.
For more information, please visit the Pathfinder Clean Energy website at www.pathfinderce.com
About GOLDBECK SOLAR
GOLDBECK SOLAR is an international company that specializes in the turnkey construction of commercial rooftop and ground-mounted photovoltaic systems, covering the entire value chain from project development to the direct sale of clean energy. With 22 years of experience in the optimization and construction of world-class solar power plants, the company is a driving force in various markets.
The North American subsidiary was founded in 2011 and has extensive expertise in engineering, constructing, and commissioning exceptional photovoltaic systems. One of their unique values is the integration of EPC services - often completed by their experienced construction team - with the supply of fixed or tracking substructures adapted to the technical and environmental requirements of the North American market. While optional, this vertical integration helps guarantee process reliability, execution quality, and increased efficiency resulting in high-performing solar assets.
GOLDBECK SOLAR has offices across the US and Canada and has over 200 MW of operational sites to date throughout Canada and the Northeast and Midwest United States. This positions them uniquely to serve clients throughout North America. In 2023, the company expects to double its installed capacity in the market to 400 MW. For more information, please visit the GOLDBECK SOLAR website at www.na.goldbecksolar.com.
__________________________________________________________________________
Contacts:
PACE Canada LP - Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Rhonda Barron
Email: rhonda.barron@pathfinderce.com
GOLDBECK SOLAR Canada Corp - Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Lena Fiebig
E-Mail: press@goldbecksolar.com
Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE) (PACE Group) - London, UK.
Ben Chippendale
E-Mail: press@pathfinderce.com
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Pathfinder Clean Energy gains approval for 70 MWp Grange solar farm in Suffolk, UK
Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE), a UK-headquartered international developer of utility scale solar and battery storage projects, has obtained planning approval for its 48MW Grange Solar farm in Suffolk that will be designed for an installed capacity of 70MWp.
The ground-mounted scheme is located near the Suffolk town of Palgrave and can generate enough power for around 16,000 homes.
Rob Denman, Managing Director at Pathfinder Clean Energy said: “We are delighted that the Grange Solar project has now been approved after considerable time in development and by working with the local community, officers and specialist consultees”.
“Clean energy generation has never been more important for the UK, ensuring the country becomes increasingly self-sufficient in energy whilst also supporting the drive towards Net Zero. We are delighted that this important project has secured planning consent.
In addition to providing clean power, it will provide new habitats for local wildlife. PACE have worked with a team of ecologists to create space for skylarks to nest and forage, and new meadow habitats that will benefit a wide range of species”.
PACE Canada development team grows as Omar Kawar joins the team as project development manager
PACE Canada's development team has expanded with Omar Kawar joining the development team as Project Development Manager to support the origination and development of new and existing projects.
Omar has extensive experience across the energy and sustainability sectors and joins the team based in Calgary, Alberta to advance its current 1.5GW Alberta portfolio of solar and energy storage and as we continue to review new technologies including green hydrogen. Omar holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Sustainable and Renewable Energy.
Rob Denman, President of PACE Canada and Managing Director of Pathfinder Clean Energy said: “We are delighted Omar is joining PACE Canada to assist in advancing our clean energy projects in Alberta. Even with the uncertainty that the recent announcement by the Alberta Government to pause development we are confident in the merits of our development and construction process and how we can bring much needed clean energy to Alberta and the other provinces in Canada as our pipeline and team grows. We are delighted we now have our first operational plant in Alberta just outside Youngstown bringing clean energy onto the grid and contributing to our collective need to combat climate change and bring affordable and clean power to the region."
For more information on joining PACE please email careers@pathfinderce.com
PACE UK development team grows as Luke Shackleton joins the team as Land Associate
Pathfinder Clean Energy’s UK development team has expanded with Luke Shackleton joining the UK development team as Land Associate to support the origination and development of new and existing projects in the UK.
Luke has extensive experience across the agricultural and property sectors and joins the team based in Bristol, UK to advance its current 1.5GW UK portfolio of solar and energy storage.
Rob Denman, Managing Director of Pathfinder Clean Energy said: “Luke has extensive experience across agriculture and wider business and contacted PACE as wanted to join the clean energy sector and bring his talents to this exciting and critical industry. We need passionate people to work with us to bring forward clean energy quickly and are delighted that Luke has decided to join us to make a difference”.
For more information on joining PACE or working with PACE please email: careers@pathfinderce.com
"In a volatile world, clean energy is the sunrise investment of our times"
Comment by Rob Denman, Managing Director of Pathfinder Clean Energy Group.
As covered in React News on the June 13th, 2023.
The economic, political and social volatility of the past three years has delivered a dose of shock treatment to investors accustomed to a more tranquil environment. Pandemic, war, inflation and an energy crisis have driven many to seek a new approach to portfolios that offers exposure to new markets beyond their core real estate investments, including clean power.
Renewable energy has been around far too long to maintain any sense of novelty. Solar power has been widely used in the UK since the 1970s and by the end of April 2022 there was close to 15 GW of total capacity. [1]
There is new global momentum behind renewables, leading Fatih Birol, director-general of the International Energy Agency to report in May that investment in solar was set to outstrip oil for the first time in 2023. [2]
Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, focus had been on decarbonising the energy supply to fight climate change. Since the unprecedented rise in prices of last year, there is a new imperative: maintaining an energy supply that is independent, secure and affordable.
Solar and wind, supported by energy storage, cover these bases. While the UK may not be known for its abundant sunshine, solar has the potential to deliver significant contribution to the energy network. For example, it has provided over 30% of the country’s electricity needs at certain times in the months of May and June of this year. [3]
There are other reasons why the investment case for solar power and wider clean energy is increasingly persuasive. The growth in electric vehicles, heating and the infrastructure necessary for climate-change adaptation such as increased use of air conditioning and even AI will drive increasing electricity consumption. To meet net zero targets that demand will have to be met with renewable energy sources.
The rationale for renewables has rarely been more positive, with a stable long-term investment case. While current power prices have fallen below the highs of August 2022, volatility seems likely to remain a feature of the market and the requirement for locally generated clean energy can provide a route to healthy returns on projects that run to 40 years and beyond with strong capital downside protection and inflation hedge.
Beyond the financial case, clean energy projects help investors to meet their wider ESG commitments. Solar energy is unambiguously sustainable with “carbon payback time” of between 1 and 4 years on hardware that can operate for three decades or more.
While the demand for renewables projects is strong and improving, the supply is less assured.
Governments may have been highly active in setting renewable energy targets in recent years, but away from the offshore wind arena and its highly structured long term auction process, onshore energy development can be quicker and relies on more entrepreneurial and faster acting development players to manage the process.
The UK government’s recent political positioning around utility scale solar and onshore clean energy has been ambiguous at times with debate in particular around the use of farmland from some backbench MPs. Nonetheless, ministers have held firm on their target of 70GW of installed solar by 2035, recognising that solar farms provide a clean low cost form of power, which allows farming to continue around them while also benefiting biodiversity. This makes them a core part of the energy mix. With an election due in 2024 the support for clean energy should grow whatever the outcome.
Another complication is the readiness of grid connectivity with projected connection dates for new projects stretching into the 2030s although there is now a recognition across Ofgem and the grid operator community of the urgency to facilitate increasing connections, but only for the most deliverable projects.
Not all investment opportunities are created equal then.
Much of the capital in this sector is invested into blind pools with limited understanding of the development and operation of the assets. In a development environment with an uncertain regulatory outlook, delayed grid availability as well as supply chain uncertainty, that results in capital remaining undeployed for material lengths of time as assets are developed.
The most immediately productive route for investors considering adding solar to their portfolios is to seek “shovel-ready” projects. What that means in practice is that projects that have signed lease options in place, an agreement on a date for grid connectivity as well as the necessary planning permission. With these secured, investors have a more visible and assured route to returns.
If the UK is to meet the government’s goal of the full decarbonisation of the energy sector by 2035, the solar industry will need to contribute all 70GW of its current target, but with the benefits of energy storage has the potential for much more. So, the long-term outlook for the segment is sound and the investment drivers only strengthening.
In the short term, however, supply constraints will continue to be a factor. But for savvy investors seeking diverse and sustainable portfolios, there are smart opportunities available to participate in a more immediate phase of solar and clean energy growth.. and your children and grandchildren may also be supportive too if you ask them.
Pathfinder Clean Energy submits 18MW Glebe Solar Farm into planning
Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE), a UK-headquartered international developer of utility scale solar and battery storage projects, has submitted its latest 18MW project near Drayton, Norfolk into planning.
The proposed ground-mounted scheme, known as Glebe Solar, would generate enough power for around 8,000 homes each year or the CO2 emissions equivalent of removing over 1,200 passenger vehicles from the road.
Andy Keelan, Commercial Land Manager at PACE said, “PACE is delighted to announce that Glebe Solar has been submitted into planning. We are committed to developing and constructing the clean energy generation which the UK and the wider international market requires. Projects such as Glebe Solar represent important parts of the solution to the climate emergencies declared by the Government and Broadland District Council, and will support the UK’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon by 2050.
Economically, the regular income from the solar farm will make an important contribution to the continued viability of the farm holdings, including investment in farming activities and protecting themselves during years of low agricultural yield. This is becoming increasingly important as a changing climate affects agricultural yields.
The site is already well screened and the proposals include biodiversity enhancements of new native hedges, wildlife gates, areas of scrub and log piles, all of which will provide improved habitats for local species and is an ideal example of combining renewable energy production and biodiversity enhancements alongside continued agriculture.”
PACE continues to push on and support the requirement for clean energy in the UK and now has more than 1.5GW of solar capacity in the UK in various stages of the development process and almost 300MWp fully permitted or submitted into planning.