The Renewable Energy team from independent UK law firm Burges Salmon has advised UK-based renewables investor Atrato Onsite Energy on its £10.6 million acquisition of Hylton Plantation Solar Farm Limited, the SPV managing a 20 MW ground-mounted solar PV system for Nissan's manufacturing plant in Sunderland.
The transaction sees Atrato take on the ownership of a behind-the-meter private wire solar installation project for Nissan and it will complete the installation, alongside its delivery partner Engenera Renewables Group, of a 20MW ground mounted system, using c. 37,000 panels, next to Nissan's manufacturing facility. Nissan has entered into a 20 year private wire power purchase agreement (PPA) on a 100% take-or-pay basis.
Gurpreet Gujral, Managing Director of Atrato Partners, says: “In what is one of the largest private wire solar projects in the UK, our objective with this transaction was to bring a great installation project into Atrato’s portfolio. With Burges Salmon’s help and expert legal advice, we have been able to successfully deliver on this.”
The Burges Salmon team advising on the transaction was led by partners Ross Fairley and Camilla Usher-Clark and included senior associate Peter Dunn and associate Antonia Venning, from the firm’s Renewable Energy team.
Ross Fairley, who heads the Renewable Energy team at Burges Salmon, adds: “It was a pleasure to work side-by-side with Gurpreet, Francisca and the Atrato team on this Net Zero project. It is part of supporting the UK automotive industry in delivering Net Zero, which will also result in benefits from low cost, traceable clean energy."
Atrato Onsite Energy is an investment company focused on onsite clean energy generation, providing new renewable energy capacity with 100% carbon traceability to industrial and commercial counterparties. It focuses on UK commercial rooftop and onsite solar, helping its corporate clients achieve Net Zero and reduce their energy bills.