Why there’s a sunny future for solar M&A in UK, with deals volume booming
Solar deal activity is on the rise, with £11bn of investment in UK projects since 2013, according to new research.
UK Renewable Energy Finance 2016, a report from Clean Energy Pipeline and law firm TLT, found a 14 per cent increase in tracked deals last year, with a total acquisition value of £1.6bn.
And the first quarter of 2016 appeared “equally robust”, with £333m so far reported.
Read more: M&G Investments thinks the future's bright for solar power
M&A activity in the solar sector is expected to remain strong, according to the report.
Maria Connolly, head of real estate and energy and 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 31 March 2015 or the disposal of consented projects that qualify for the grace period.”