Infrastructure fund JLEN has invested £26.7 million in a commercial glasshouse project that will be supplied with heat and power via private wire from an existing anaerobic digestion plant also owned by JLEN.
The consented 2.1 hectare glasshouse will be built in the UK close to the AD plant, which will be upgraded. Waste heat from the existing CHP engines will be captured and delivered by pipe and a heat exchanger to the glasshouse. Wastage from the glasshouse produce may also be returned to the digester.
The glasshouse will receive energy via the private wire at a discount to the import market price. The AD plant will benefit from the inflation-linked RHI regime and sell electricity at a premium price, compared with exporting it to the grid, while also utilising otherwise wasted heat.
The glasshouse is expected to commence production in 2023 and will be capable of growing a wide array of different horticultural products.
JLEN said the investment will generate new diversified revenue streams from the glasshouse, whilst increasing revenues from an existing asset.

Ed Warner, Chair of JLEN, said: ” We believe this is an attractive opportunity for JLEN to enhance the value of one of its existing assets, creating an integrated ecosystem whilst deploying capitalinto the controlled environment infrastructure sector.”