Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE) Secures Approval For 49.9 MW Thurleigh Road Solar Farm With 140 MWp Design, Advancing UK Clean-Energy Capacity And Co-Located BESS Hub

Pathfinder Clean Energy (PACE) has received planning approval for its 49.9 MW Thurleigh Road Solar Farm in Bedfordshire, a development designed with an installed capacity of 140 MWp. This marks an important step forward in expanding the UK’s clean energy infrastructure and strengthening the country’s renewable generation capacity.

The new solar farm will be developed alongside PACE’s already approved Thurleigh Road Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). Together, the two projects will form an integrated renewable energy hub that can operate more efficiently by sharing the same grid infrastructure. This co-location approach improves flexibility, reduces long-term grid management costs, and supports smoother power system operation—benefits that ultimately help lower costs for energy consumers.

Rob Denman, Managing Director at PACE, highlighted the importance of the approval, noting that it represents a major milestone for the company. He explained that combining large-scale solar generation with BESS in a well-connected area of central England reflects PACE’s long-term vision for delivering high-impact clean energy assets. He also pointed to the company’s recent strong performance in Allocation Round 7a and continuing progress in grid reform and permitting as signs of growing momentum across PACE’s UK pipeline.

Denman added that PACE remains focused on building energy infrastructure that not only generates clean power at scale but also contributes to innovation, grid resilience, and sustainable economic growth in the regions where the company operates. The Thurleigh Road project is a central part of this strategy in the UK. With planning approval secured, PACE’s internal construction arm, PACE EPC, will begin taking the project through the next stages of development. The company is targeting a grid connection date in 2027, keeping the project on track to support the UK’s growing demand for reliable and affordable renewable energy.