Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, a global investment manager focused on energy transition infrastructure, has announced the acquisition of Mallard Pass, a 350 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) project located on the Rutland-Lincolnshire border in the East Midlands, England. This acquisition marks Quinbrook’s second nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP), following the Cleve Hill Solar project, the UK’s first NSIP solar initiative, which is nearing completion.

A Major Step Toward the UK’s Renewable Energy Future

Construction for Mallard Pass will begin from 2026, and this will start to generate solar power from 2028. The facility will greatly help in quickening the transition of the UK towards renewable sources of energy but also ensure resiliency of energy supply. Quinbrook is drawing upon experience from Cleve Hill that was the first NSIP ever to be given a Contract for Difference in Allocation Round 4 of the UK and already had secured the largest ever solar corporate power purchase agreement with Tesco.

Job creation and local economic impact

Quinbrook hopes that Mallard Pass would greatly benefit the community in need. Preliminary analysis of the proposed development showed that the project might create more than 2,000 jobs, direct and indirect, over the lifecycle, and add a potential £124 million to the local economy. Quinbrook is prioritizing local opportunities at Mallard Pass, just as it did with Cleve Hill during development and construction.

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A Holistic Approach to Energy Transition

Rosalind Smith-Maxwell, Director at Quinbrook, said, “Solar projects of this scale play an important role in the decarbonisation of the UK grid and our country’s energy security.”

She added, “The investment in Mallard Pass is another excellent example of Quinbrook’s focus on holistic and impactful investment in the infrastructure needed to advance the energy transition.”

Mallard Pass will generate more than 14 million MWh of renewable power over its operational lifetime, significantly reducing carbon emissions by 665,000 tonnes—equivalent to the CO2 emissions from burning 738 million pounds of coal. Quinbrook aims for a 71% biodiversity boost at Mallard Pass, focusing on habitat restoration and nature enhancement efforts. This follows the success of their biodiversity initiatives at Cleve Hill, where they achieved a 67% net gain.

Hanwha Power Systems and Hanwha Ocean have signed a joint development and collaboration agreement with Baker Hughes, a global energy technology leader, to design and produce ammonia-powered gas turbines for ships. The company announced this during the Baker Hughes Annual Meeting 2025 in Florence, Italy. This groundbreaking collaboration aims at enabling carbon-free ship operations and furthering the global transition to more sustainable maritime transport.

Pioneering the First Fossil Fuel-Free Ships

This collaboration follows Hanwha Group’s ambitious declaration at the Davos Forum in January last year, where the company set its sights on developing the world’s first fossil fuel-free ships. It will combine ammonia gas turbine propulsion systems in LNG carriers and container ships.

The ammonia gas turbines produced under this agreement will use Baker Hughes’ class-leading small-size turbine technology in combination with a novel ammonia combustion system developed by PSM, a Hanwha subsidiary in the United States. These turbines will burn 100% ammonia but can also operate on a blend of natural gas and ammonia. This novel propulsion technology will change the face of the shipping industry, offering a carbon-free alternative for large ship owners.

A New Era for Eco-Friendly Shipbuilding

Hanwha Power Systems and Hanwha Ocean are actively driving the global shift to eco-friendly fuel propulsion for ships. The collaboration with Baker Hughes will speed up the shift to sustainable fuels, helping reduce carbon emissions in shipping.

Executive Director Kim Hyeong-seok, head of Hanwha Power Systems’ Marine Solutions Business Department, said, “The paradigm of switching to lower carbon fuel for ships is the calling of the times, and Hanwha Power Systems will continue to lead the development of innovative technologies for the entire life cycle of eco-friendly ships.”

Also read: Baker Hughes Secures Order for Jafurah Gas Field Expansion in Saudi Arabia

In September 2023, Hanwha Power Systems and Hanwha Ocean received Approval in Principle from the American Bureau of Shipping for applying ammonia gas turbine technology on LNG carriers. Additionally, the collaboration has already made significant progress, with PSM completing its initial high-pressure ammonia combustion tests and Baker Hughes completing turbine feasibility studies in 2024.

Furthermore, as part of the initiative, Hanwha Power Systems, in September 2024 at Gastech, Houston, inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a top European LNG carrier shipping company with plans to retrofit the company’s existing propulsion systems with ammonia gas turbines, among other things, marking a landmark step in using this new technology.