SmartestEnergy has agreed a series of CfD AR7 Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with AGR Renewables, a UK renewables developer backed by long-standing investor, Railpen, supporting the continued development and delivery of their portfolio.
The new partnership supports AGR’s portfolio of co-located projects. The solar sites were awarded under the UK Government’s CfD Allocation Round 7 (AR7), providing a bankable and flexible route to market for 192MW of renewable capacity and with an expected annual output of around 209,000MWh across four UK sites. These include Eaton Socon, Little Hale, Priory Generation and Wymondley projects, located across Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and Hertfordshire. The agreement will provide AGR Renewables with a competitive and reliable route to market, supporting the projects from commissioning through to the end of the CfD tenor.
By providing a secure and adaptable route to market for one of the UK’s largest AR7 solar portfolios, the partnership strengthens SmartestEnergy’s growing presence in the CfD market, transmission connected and Balancing Mechanism (BM) space, and underscores its commitment to helping renewable generators succeed in the transition to a low‑carbon energy system.
John Collier, Investment Director at AGR Renewables, said, “A reliable and flexible route to market PPA is crucial for projects of this size, and finding the right partner required an intentional approach. We needed to source a partner who could combine strong pricing with deep market expertise, and help us navigate the complexities of bringing large transmission-connected solar sites online. Working with SmartestEnergy is giving us the confidence that our projects will perform and provide reliable renewable energy for years to come.”
Will Russell, Business Development Manager at SmartestEnergy, said, “We’re proud to be working with AGR Renewables as they bring forward a significant wave of new solar capacity into the UK. Navigating today’s energy market can be challenging and costly, but we are committed to giving our customers a competitive, bankable and reliable route to market. Our partnership with AGR Renewables reflects the trust they place in us to help these distribution and transmission connected projects operate successfully and deliver long-term value.”
Lewis Vanstrone, Head of Infrastructure, Railpen added, “As a long-term investor in energy, we’re committed to backing high quality companies and projects that strengthen the UK’s energy security. Our partnership with AGR Renewables and SmartestEnergy is the latest milestone in the UK’s renewable generation capability, which will create stable assets that deliver value over decades.”
