UK solar investment adviser Bluefield, which advises the £1.2 billion Bluefield Solar Income Fund, has launched a dedicated floating solar business within its development arm, targeting utility-scale projects across England. The launch is backed by analysis from independent consultancy CBI Economics, commissioned by Bluefield, which found floating solar could provide more than 40 GW of clean power in the UK by 2050, with interim potential of 3.6 GW by 2030 and 18.3 GW by 2040 under supportive policy conditions.

Renews.biz reported that the new business joins Bluefield's existing floating solar installation at the Queen Elizabeth II Reservoir, currently the largest floating solar installation in the UK, which provides clean power to Thames Water's water treatment works.

James Armstrong, founder and managing partner of Bluefield, said floating solar represents one of the most practical and immediate opportunities to strengthen the UK's energy security. He added that floating solar offers precisely what the UK needs: fast deployment, reduced pressure on the grid, and new value for water companies and industry, all while supporting jobs and economic growth.

Bluefield positions floating solar as one of the UK's largest untapped opportunities for rapid, scalable deployment, citing the ability to co-locate projects with existing industrial demand, reduce pressure on land use, and access grid connections more efficiently than ground-mounted alternatives.

The floating solar sector is increasingly attracting institutional interest across Europe as developers seek faster deployment routes alongside conventional solar. The UK's water reservoir and industrial pond surface area represents a significant untapped resource for utility-scale generation without competing with agricultural or residential land.

Bluefield Partners manages approximately €2.3 billion in assets under management across solar, wind, and energy storage assets in the UK and Europe.

Read the full report on Bluefield's floating solar business launch.