- Cero and Enso reached financial close on a £200m green loan from a bank consortium to develop 360MW of co-located solar and BESS projects in the UK.
- Projects meet EU sustainability standards with support from EDF, LONGi, Sungrow, and others.
Cero Generation and Enso Energy said on Tuesday, July 16, they have closed a £200 million ($268.3 million) green loan to finance a portfolio of solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in the UK.
A consortium of banks, ING, NordLB, Rabobank, and Santander UK, provided the financing, which complies with the EU taxonomy for sustainable activities. The package also includes an accordion facility to fund future projects in Cero’s pipeline.
In addition, the portfolio includes the Bramley project, a co-located 115MW solar and storage facility, and two additional sites nearing operation with a combined 245MW solar and BESS capacity. Cero plans to begin construction on the Bramley project in autumn 2025.
Furthermore, EDF will manage optimisation and route-to-market services. LONGi will supply solar modules, Sungrow will provide battery systems, Metlen will be the EPC contractor, and Omexom will handle grid connection works.
“This milestone reflects our commitment to UK solar and our goal to deliver EU taxonomy-aligned projects that meet top environmental standards,” said Cero CEO Marta Martinez Queimadelos. “We thank our experienced partners across development, financing, and delivery for helping make this possible.”
CMS served as Cero’s legal counsel. EvoInfra supported financial modelling, while PMC Treasury advised on hedging and risk. Dentons (legal), Wood (technical), and Marsh (insurance) advised the lending consortium.
The projects will involve around 80 construction workers during development.
Enso Energy managing director Bill Rees said the 360MW co-located solar and storage portfolio represents a significant step toward the UK’s clean energy transition.
“These sites show what’s possible when deep development experience meets a shared focus on sustainability, community impact, and technical ambition,” Rees said.
The UK deal follows Cero’s August 2024 financial close on a 244.7MWp solar portfolio in Palencia, Spain. Banco Sabadell, Rabobank, and ING backed that transaction.