Octopus Renewables acquires West Yorkshire solar park for £34.6m

Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust (ORIT) has agreed to acquire the 55 megawatt-peak Barnsdale Solar Park in West Yorkshire for approximately £34.6 million. The deal, which includes remaining construction costs, involves purchasing the project from OnPath Energy.

Located near Pontefract, the solar park is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power roughly 19,000 homes once fully operational. The project has secured a government-backed Contract for Difference (CfD) with fixed prices linked to the consumer price index (CPI) through 2041, providing long-term revenue visibility.

Construction is being managed by Goldbeck Solar. The acquisition aligns with the ORIT 2030 strategy, which targets annual growth of 9% to 11%. The company expects the project to contribute to dividend cover starting from the 2027 financial year, following the satisfaction of specific site requirements expected by March 2027.