NextEnergy forms new renewables development unit with 5GW pipeline

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The division will look to work alongside local solar developers in new markets. Image: NextEnergy Capital.

Solar investor and asset manager NextEnergy Group has launched a new renewables development division that will aim to develop 5GW of projects within three years.

Called Starlight, the unit has been formed to “consolidate and rapidly expand” NextEnergy’s renewables development presence, said the UK-headquartered company, which has to date developed more than 2GW of utility-scale solar plants.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

Established with a team of more than 30 professionals, Starlight will initially develop early-stage solar PV projects, with a focus on markets where NextEnergy already has experience.  

It has been set up with around 2.2GW of under-development and operational solar assets in Italy and the UK. An additional 1.3GW pipeline has recently been added in Greece, while more projects are being assessed in the US, Poland, Spain, Chile and India.

“Starlight has instantly benefitted from the existing team’s deep knowledge in the solar sector and is seeking to grow its team further as well as to work in partnership with local developers,” said Gianluca Boccanera, managing director at Starlight.

Beyond solar, the division also plans to expand into energy storage, wind and green hydrogen projects.

Alongside the new development division, NextEnergy Group operates via two other business units: investment manager NextEnergy Capital (NEC) and solar asset manager WiseEnergy.

NEC recently raised almost US$900 million for its NextPower III ESG fund, which is aiming to invest in 2.5GW of installed solar assets in markets such as the US, Portugal, Spain, Chile, and Poland.

That deal came two months after NEC secured the backing of the UK Infrastructure Bank for its NextPower UK ESG fund, which will have a generation capacity of around 1GW of solar power from across 30 UK plants when fully operational.

Also in the UK, NEC has this year signed a virtual power purchase agreement (PPA) with Goldman Sachs and another PPA with law firm DLA Piper.

Read Next

July 3, 2025
Malaysian engineering and infrastructure giant Gamuda has expanded its presence in the Australian renewables sector by partnering with Tasmanian landowners to build a 1.2GW portfolio, which includes solar PV.
July 2, 2025
The US Senate has narrowly passed – with a 51-50 vote and with vice-president JD Vance breaking the tie – the reconciliation bill yesterday (1 July) without the solar and wind excise tax.
July 1, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) Arevon Energy has closed a US$600 million credit facility to support its solar PV and energy storage portfolio in the US.
July 1, 2025
Solar developer ib vogt has sold a 110MW solar PV plant in Spain to international fund NextPower V ESG, which is operated by investment firm NextEnergy Capital (NEC).
July 1, 2025
French private equity firm Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF) has bought 117 solar PV plants, worth 116MW of total capacity in several locations in Italy.
June 30, 2025
Voting on the US tax reconciliation bill is expected to begin in the Senate today, following a draft published on Friday that hit clean energy tax credits hard.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK