Bicker-Vicarage Solar

AGR identified an opportunity to develop a large-scale, co-located renewable energy asset that combines solar generation with battery storage to deliver both clean electricity and enhanced grid flexibility. The project was structured as a 77.5MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) park integrated with a 50MW / 100MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), forming a hybrid configuration designed to maximise the value of renewable generation. responsiveness.

A key milestone in the project’s commercial strategy was the securing of a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Manchester City Council. This long-term agreement provides revenue certainty for the project and underpins its financial stability over the operational lifetime. It also represents a landmark transaction within the UK municipal energy market, highlighting the growing role of local authorities in directly procuring renewable power. More broadly, the agreement demonstrates effective public-private collaboration in accelerating decarbonisation, while supporting the delivery of secure, predictable, and low-carbon energy supply at scale.

This end-to-end approach allowed AGR to coordinate key technical and commercial decisions directly, reducing interface risk and improving overall project execution. The company worked closely with its principal subcontractor, Sunnerg Group, to deliver the solar and battery infrastructure, successfully completing the project within an accelerated timeline of approximately 18 months despite its technical complexity and scale.

A number of key execution strategies underpinned the project’s success. The co-location approach enabled optimal land use and streamlined grid connection by integrating both the solar PV array and the BESS within a single site footprint. Construction activities were carefully coordinated to allow parallel delivery of two complex technologies, improving efficiency and reducing programme duration. In addition, detailed focus was placed on grid and systems integration to ensure seamless interaction between generation and storage assets, enabling reliable operational performance. AGR’s role as Balance of Plant (BOP) provider further strengthened control over critical interfaces between civil, electrical, and grid infrastructure, which was essential to the successful delivery of this hybrid energy project.

The asset is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026 and will remain under AGR’s ownership, reflecting a deliberate strategy focused on developing and retaining high-quality infrastructure assets that generate stable, long-term returns. Central to the project’s value proposition is a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Manchester City Council, which provides strong long-term revenue visibility and underpins the financial stability of the asset over its operational lifetime. In addition to enhancing investment security, the agreement aligns the project with a major public-sector decarbonisation initiative, supporting the council’s transition toward cleaner energy sources while reinforcing the role of long-term partnerships in delivering large-scale renewable energy infrastructure.