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OnPath Energy has reached financial close on Common Farm Solar Park, a South Yorkshire project pairing 49 MW of solar with a 50 MW/100 MWh battery. Construction is underway, with completion targeted for mid-2027; the solar and battery will use separate commercial offtake arrangements.
OnPath Energy has reached financial close on Common Farm Solar Park in South Yorkshire, securing financing for its first co-located solar and battery storage project. The development combines a 49 MW solar farm with a 50 MW / 100 MWh battery energy storage system, with construction already underway and completion targeted for mid-2027.
Common Farm is near Todwick Road Industrial Estate in Dinnington, east of Sheffield. NatWest is providing financing through a package that includes a term loan and ancillary facilities to support the project during construction and operations. The reported announcement does not disclose the size or other financial terms of the package.
OnPath arranged separate commercial offtake structures for the two assets to secure debt financing. The solar farm has a subsidy-free, long-term power purchase agreement with an unnamed global technology firm. The battery is set to trade under a third-party optimization agreement; the specific provider and contract terms were not identified in the report.
OnPath said infrastructure consultancy AECOM is lead consultant. Engineering firm Grupotec is responsible for engineering, procurement and construction, and is also due to provide operations and maintenance services once the site enters operation. The project is OnPath’s first co-located solar-and-storage development, rather than its first battery project.
Separate Contracts Support Project Financing
The financing illustrates how the two parts of a co-located project can be contracted separately. The solar farm’s long-term power purchase agreement provides a route to sell its electricity, while the battery’s optimization agreement covers how its storage capacity will be traded. Different revenue arrangements can reflect the distinct roles of generation and storage and, in this case, were part of the structure used to secure debt.
Co-locating the assets also means solar generation and battery storage share a site and can use a grid connection together. OnPath finance director Oliver Hartley said this can make efficient use of available grid connections. The project adds a large battery alongside renewable generation in a UK market where, according to Hartley, there are still few co-located sites, particularly at this scale. The announcement does not quantify expected output, revenue, or any reduction in grid costs.
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OnPath’s Storage Pipeline Expands
The Common Farm financing follows growth in OnPath Energy’s standalone battery storage pipeline. The company has accumulated roughly 250 MW of consented or under-construction storage projects across the UK, according to the report. That figure covers its wider portfolio and should not be confused with Common Farm’s 50 MW battery power capacity or 100 MWh storage capacity.
OnPath was formerly known as Banks Renewables before its acquisition by Brookfield Asset Management. Its UK storage portfolio also includes planning approval for a 200 MW battery project in West Lothian, Scotland. Common Farm differs from those standalone storage developments because it combines a battery with a solar farm at the same location.
“The company said the project’s solar generation and battery storage have separate commercial offtake structures.”
— OnPath Energy
Contract Terms and Returns Remain Undisclosed
The announcement leaves several financial and commercial details open. The global technology firm buying power under the solar agreement is not named, and the PPA’s duration, pricing and volume terms are not disclosed. The identity of the battery’s optimization provider and the conditions of that agreement are also unspecified.
OnPath said in June that it was moving to reduce risk across its storage portfolio through fixed-revenue offtake structures with SmartestEnergy. The report says that arrangement may focus on Common Farm, but does not confirm that SmartestEnergy is the project’s optimizer or set out the final battery contract. The size and interest terms of NatWest’s financing, expected project costs, and forecast revenues have not been published in the source material.
The mid-2027 completion date is a target, not a confirmed operational date. The announcement provides no detailed construction schedule, commissioning timeline or projected annual solar generation. Those details will be needed to assess the project’s eventual output and financial performance.
Construction Targets Mid-2027 Completion
Construction is underway, and OnPath’s stated next milestone is completion by mid-2027. Grupotec is responsible for construction under its engineering, procurement and construction role; the firm is also due to take on operations and maintenance after the site enters service.
Until the project is completed and commissioned, the announced capacity and target date remain development details rather than evidence of operating performance. Further information about the offtake counterparties, financing terms, commissioning and commercial operation may clarify how the separate solar and battery arrangements work in practice.
Key Questions
Where is Common Farm Solar Park?
It is near Todwick Road Industrial Estate in Dinnington, South Yorkshire, east of Sheffield.
What are the project’s solar and battery capacities?
The project combines a 49 MW solar farm with a battery rated at 50 MW / 100 MWh. MW describes power capacity; MWh describes the battery’s energy storage capacity.
How will the project sell or trade its output?
The solar farm has a subsidy-free, long-term power purchase agreement with an unnamed global technology firm. The battery is due to trade under a separate third-party optimization agreement, whose provider and terms have not been disclosed.
Who is financing and building the project?
NatWest is providing a financing package that includes a term loan and ancillary facilities. Grupotec is responsible for engineering, procurement and construction, while AECOM is the lead consultant.
When is the project expected to be completed?
Construction is underway, and OnPath Energy is targeting mid-2027 for completion. The announcement does not provide a confirmed commissioning or commercial operation date.
Source: ess-news.com
