Downing has been appointed by Southern Water to deliver 12 new solar PV projects across its sites and to supply renewable energy from these projects to its water treatment facilities under long-term offtake agreements.

The renewable energy and infrastructure arm of Downing’s Estate Planning Service will invest c.£12 million over a two-year period to deliver the solar PV projects which will generate a total of 8.4 GWh each year to run treatment plants - the equivalent of powering nearly 3,000 UK homes annually.

Downing Renewable Developments, Downing’s in-house project development team, will manage the development and construction of the sites, with the electricity generated being directly utilised by Southern Water.

This initial project is phase one of Southern Water’s solar strategy, supporting its ongoing net zero plans.

Southern Water provides essential water services to 2.6 million customers and wastewater services to 4.6 million customers across Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and are committed to making a positive impact. This means ensuring all its customers have access to high-quality, affordable and efficient water and wastewater services.

Tom Williams, Partner and Head of Energy & Infrastructure at Downing LLP said, “We are delighted to have been selected as the preferred partner to deliver these solar sites for Southern Water, the third such initiative of this type that we are undertaking with water utilities in the UK. It’s great to see a proactive commitment by energy-intensive industries such as water treatment and distribution to reduce their carbon footprint. As an accredited B Corporation, we are proud to be involved in this initiative -  another example of Downing underlining its commitment to sustainable investing.”

Stuart Ledger, Chief Financial Officer at Southern Water said, “This is a key step for Southern Water as we continue to progress our environmental and turnaround plans. This additional investment we are making in solar across 12 locations will provide onsite green energy to run our treatment plants for our customers in a way that is more sustainable, cost-effective and with improved resilience. We are really pleased to be working with Downing on these projects who have a proven track record in this area.”

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