Despite challenging weather conditions, Anesco was able to get all three sites connected, commissioned and in operation well ahead of the changes in ROCs due to take place at the end of March. (Note: Any solar plants connected from 1 April 2014 will receive 1.4 ROCs, compared to the current 1.6 ROCs standard.) All totaled, the three sites can generate sufficient energy to heat, light and power more than 7,500 homes.

According to Adrian Pike, CEO of Anesco, the company's approach to building assets throughout the autumn has paid dividends, allowing Anesco to focus on 1.4 ROC projects, which are now commencing construction. Anesco has powered up three brand new solar farms in the past four weeks, all of which are set to be acquired by Ingenious Clean Energy Income Plc (“ICE Plc”), a renewable energy fund which is seeking to raise up to £180 million through an equity placing on the London Stock Exchange later this month. (Separately, ICE Plc intends to acquire its fourth solar farm within the next few weeks, which will have a capacity of 24.5 MW and is scheduled for connection to the grid by the end of March.) 

“These three sites put ICE Plc in a unique position," Pike stated. "The fund will have a significant portion of its asset portfolio already operational from the day it launches, rather than relying on a pipeline of assets and projects that come on line sometime in the future.” By Pike's count, Anesco has developed more than 25 MW of solar PV plants in the UK.

With these farms up on the grid now, the und will include commissioned sites with a combined capacity of 50MW. According to Sebastian Speight, managing director of Ingenious Clean Energy, that's enough to power more than 15,000 homes around the UK.

The Ingenious Group has raised over £8.5 billion in alternative investments since 1998. The Ingenious Clean Energy team was established in 2010 to enable Ingenious clients to invest in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors.