Two of the UK’s fastest-growing solar developers have combined into a single entity with roughly 1 GW of operating and under-construction assets, plus a 10 GW development pipeline that could reshape the country’s utility-scale solar landscape.
Aura Power Developments and Verdant Energy completed their merger on 6 August 2026. The combined company will trade under the Aura Power name, led by founder and chief executive Simon Coulson, who retains a minority stake. The deal brings together more than 75 employees from both organisations and is backed by CVC DIF, the infrastructure equity arm of investment firm CVC.
What each company brings to the table
Aura Power, founded in 2013, has developed more than 2.1 GW of solar and battery storage projects across the UK and internationally. The company recently shifted from a pure developer to an independent power producer (IPP) model, energising its first fully owned solar asset at Kemble earlier this year. In the run-up to the merger, Aura Power reached financial close on six UK solar projects.
Verdant Energy, launched in 2022, moved quickly to assemble around 660 MW of utility-scale solar with co-located battery energy storage systems (BESS) across the UK. CVC DIF backed Verdant through its DIF Infrastructure VII fund. To support the transaction, CVC DIF secured additional financing from Eiffel Investment Group to cover the merger itself, the refinancing of existing facilities, and future pipeline development.
Why this matters for UK solar
The UK added more than 2 GW of solar capacity over the past 12 months, pushing the national total past 22.8 GW. But the country still has a long way to go to hit government ambitions of 50 GW by 2035. Getting there requires developers that can move from planning to grid connection at scale, and that is exactly what this merger is designed to deliver.
A 10 GW pipeline, if even half of it reaches construction, would represent a significant portion of the remaining capacity the UK needs. Battery co-location is central to the strategy. Pairing solar with on-site storage solves one of the biggest problems facing grid operators: what to do with surplus generation on sunny afternoons. By storing excess power and releasing it during peak demand, co-located projects earn stronger returns and reduce the amount of clean energy that goes to waste.
What this means for you
If you are watching the UK energy market or considering rooftop solar, the Aura-Verdant merger signals that institutional capital is betting heavily on British solar and storage. More utility-scale capacity means more downward pressure on wholesale electricity prices over time, which eventually feeds through to household bills.
Consolidation like this also tells you the UK solar sector is maturing. When companies of this size merge rather than compete head-to-head for grid connections, the market has moved past its early, fragmented phase and into serious scaling. For homeowners already generating their own power, a healthier grid with more storage capacity means fewer curtailment events and a more stable export market for surplus rooftop generation.
Some of Aura Power’s European BESS pipeline will continue on a selective basis, so the combined company’s reach is not limited to the UK. But the core focus remains domestic, where solar and storage deployment still has enormous room to grow.
The merger was reported by Solar Power Portal on 7 August 2026, with advisory roles from Burges Salmon (legal for Aura Power), CMS (legal for CVC DIF), and DNV (technical due diligence).
Photo by Bill Mead via Unsplash.
