Actis Backed Rezolv Energy Acquires Rights To Develop Europe’s Largest Ever Solar Photovoltaic Plant – EQ Mag Pro

• Rezolv Energy was launched earlier this year by Actis to build a new era of sustainable power in Central and South-Eastern Europe

• The 1,044 MW plant, acquired from Monsson, will be situated in western Romania

• The plan is expected to be online by 2025, providing clean power to more than 370,000 households

• Potential to integrate symbiotic agricultural activities, including sheep grazing and beekeeping

London : Actis, a leading global investor in sustainable infrastructure, announces today that its portfolio company Rezolv Energy, an independent clean energy power producer focused on sustainable power in Central and South Eastern Europe, has acquired from the Monsson Group the rights to build and operate a 1,044 MW solar photovoltaic plant in Arad County in western Romania. Once constructed, it is expected to be the largest solar PV plant in Europe.

The project is in the late-stage development phase. Rezolv Energy is already appraising technology solutions and debt financing options, with construction due to start in the first half of next year and it is expected to be online by 2025.

The plant will be covered by approximately 1.6 million new solar panels. With an average annual power generation of approximately 1,500,000 MWh, the plant is expected to be able to provide clean power for more than 370,000 households. The power will be sold to commercial and industrial users through long-term Power Purchase Agreements.

The project will be connected to the 400 kV high voltage overhead lines in the area and will likely include a 135 MW battery storage system, capable of delivering electricity for four hours. This connection will enable the high voltage lines to be smartly loaded, balancing the variability of the renewable energy supply.

The project will provide a large number of new jobs in the region. During construction, at least 500 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees will be hired for a two-year period, both for light assembly – which is work suitable for men and women, on both a full-time and part-time basis – and highly-skilled engineering roles. At least 30 FTE employees will then stay on for the lifetime of the project. There will also be a focus on delivering training and skills development programmes for local communities in and around the project.

The project will be designed, constructed, and operated to the highest environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, with an emphasis on integrating symbiotic agricultural activities on the site. Much of the poor-quality agricultural land will be transformed to pasture, with sheep managing the vegetation through grazing. Recent research from the United States has shown the numerous advantages of this approach, confirming that the overall return from grazing is the same in both solar pastures and open fields with no PV panels. The project will also incorporate beekeeping and other measures to increase biodiversity.

Rezolv Energy was launched earlier this year by Actis and the Rezolv leadership team, which had previously developed and run a portfolio of energy projects in Central and South-Eastern Europe. Last month, the company announced that it was partnering with Low Carbon to deliver another major renewable energy project in Romania: the 450MW ‘Vis Viva’ onshore wind farm.

Jim Campion, Chief Executive, Rezolv Energy, said: “We are moving into a new era for renewable energy in Europe. Projects like this will give us the scale to provide highly competitive, subsidy-free clean power at a stable price for industrial and commercial users. It will also make a significant contribution to Europe’s twin objectives of increasing its energy independence and reducing its net emissions to zero.”

Actis’ Energy Infrastructure team invest on a global scale in buy and build power generation and distribution businesses, supporting the Energy Transition and accelerating the journey to Net Zero. Actis has invested in over 70 renewable energy projects to date, with approximately 12GW of renewable energy capacity globally and is targeting another 12.5GW. Actis is investing its latest Energy 5 Fund, which represents US$6 billion of investable capital.

About Rezolv Energy

Rezolv is a highly experienced, independent renewable energy producer. It provides subsidy-free clean energy at a long-term, stable price for industrial and commercial users, and other off-takers, operating across Central and South Eastern Europe.

Built on a heritage of 15 years in clean energy, we take renewable projects – wind, solar and storage – from late-stage development through construction and into long-term operation.

With long-term investment backing from Actis, one of the world’s foremost energy investors, it is building a multi-GW portfolio that will help companies and countries meet their energy needs today and in the future.