A new partnership has been forged between real estate specialists Boultbee Brooks and leaders in low-carbon infrastructure development, Infraland, to produce and supply renewable energy.
With five years of experience working together on renewable projects, Infraland and Boultbee Brooks have decided to officially bring their collective experience, pioneering spirit, and shared vision for the future of renewables, together under the new name of Infrabee.
The Cambridge-based business will provide green energy solutions through a series of solar and battery sites across both the UK and Europe as it looks to play a key role in the global switch to a more sustainable and planet-friendly fuel resource.
There are currently 25 sites planned across the UK which are either under development or ready to build, with five expected to connect over the next 12 months and the rest due to be energised over the next three years.
Infrabee will also be looking to expand its network of European joint-venture partners following early successes through local partner Perdix in the Netherlands.
Solar Photovoltaic Power (PV) generation is a clean energy which harnesses the power of the sun – the planet’s most plentiful renewable energy source.
Typically installed in fields which are largely isolated from human impact, these farms help promote biodiversity as the remainder of the land is handed back to plant and wildlife regeneration by planting new hedgerows, field margins and native wildflower meadows.
The Battery Energy Storage side of the process sees utility-scale lithium-ion batteries store and manage fluctuations in renewable energies in real-time, creating a consistent flow to the national grid.
Infrabee Director Nick Barber, comments:
“Infrabee is a global partnership between organisations which believes in delivering renewable energy solutions, while also leading in the development of low carbon infrastructure."
“Renewable energy is not something we can leave until tomorrow. We must invest in and develop the infrastructure we need today – so that together we can secure the future of our planet – before it really is too late.”
With the financial benefits of land diversification and improved biodiversity of the rural area, fellow Director, Henry Brown says Infrabee will continue to seek out suitable sites to grow the business.
“Infrabee is the new platform for what has been a longstanding Boultbee Brooks/Infraland joint venture,” he said. “Consolidating our joint effort and investment under one stronger brand identity will enable us to continue and further our work in developing and delivering green energy."
“In some cases, the technology infrastructure can exist alongside the landowners existing agricultural use. In each case, they are opening up a stream of revenue that is both long-term, predictable and index-linked so it is not at the mercy of fluctuations such as unseasonal weather, or changes in market values for produce."
“There is also a boost in biodiversity as the natural world finds equilibrium in the wake of intensive farming and commercial developments. By taking land out of such aggressive agricultural production it can regenerate, improving it’s biological, nutrient and carbon content.”
As part of the land-leasing agreement, Infrabee covers all associated costs, such as preparing planning and permitting applications, while ongoing operations and maintenance are also covered for the average 40-year lifetime of the facility.
The construction phase from empty field to fully developed energy source is typically completed within a 12 to 15-month process, where the site would then be connected to the national grid.