NextEnergy Solar Fund (NESF) has announced that it has commenced the construction of Whitecross, a 36MW, subsidy-free utility solar plant, located in Lincolnshire. The original construction date of the asset was pushed back from the second half of 2021 “due to material volatility in the solar PV module supply chain post covid which has since stabilised”. Following the commencement of the build, energisation of the Whitecross plant is now expected to occur during the first quarter of 2023 and, once operational, Whitecross will generate electricity for approximately 10,000 households’ yearly electricity consumption with renewable power.
NESF’s fourth subsidy free solar plant
Whitecross will join NESF’s other three operating subsidy-free solar plants, Staughton (50MW), High Garret (8.4MW), and Hall Farm 2 (5.4MW), which together with Whitecross comprise around 100MW of NESF’s 150MW target in subsidy-free solar capacity.
Both the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor, and the solar PV module supplier have been selected and secured for the build. NESF selected Jinko Solar to supply solar modules to Whitecross, having agreed to the adoption of NESF’s Supplier Code of Conduct policies and procedures. NESF says that it continues to implement high Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) and technical standards within its supply chain process.
The plant will be constructed by EPC GEMEC UK LTD who NESF says has a solid track record in successfully completing post-subsidy solar plants for it, having previously constructed Staughton (50MW), High Garrett (8.4MW), and Bosworth (5.4MW).
Whitecross to utilise N-type solar cells
The Whitecross project is going to benefit from the latest available solar technology from Jinko Solar called “N-type solar cells”, a bi-facial solar technology which offers superior power density and efficiency with a recently set world record for solar cell efficiency. NESF will receive long-term benefits from this technology as it decreases the land footprint necessary for Whitecross’s installed capacity, optimising land use and performance of the solar plant.