Bluefield, investment adviser to the £1.2bn Bluefield Solar Income investment trust, has launched a floating solar business within its development arm, in a bid to roll out utility-scale projects across England.
The launch follows analysis conducted by independent consultancy CBI Economics, commissioned by Bluefield, which found floating solar could provide more than 40 gigawatts of clean power by 2050. Bluefield refers to floating solar as “one of the UK’s largest untapped opportunities for rapid, scalable deployment”.
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The launch joins Bluefield’s existing floating solar installation – the UK’s largest – at the Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir, which provides clean power to Thames Water’s water treatment works.
James Armstrong, founder and managing partner of Bluefield, said: “Floating solar represents one of the most practical and immediate opportunities to strengthen the UK’s energy security.
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“We’ve built a dedicated floating solar team made up of industry-leading professionals with deep experience in both the water and energy sectors – exactly the expertise needed to scale this technology at pace and work successfully with UK water companies and waterbody owners.”
He added: “Floating solar offers precisely what the UK needs: fast deployment, reduced pressure on the grid, and new value for water companies and industry – all while supporting jobs and economic growth.”
