Q&A with Chris Marsh, CEO, Enviromena

We recently paid a visit to Enviromena’s new Medebridge solar farm in rural Essex, the construction of which our Energy team is funding.?

When complete, it will provide 71MW of energy!

While we were there, we spoke with Enviromena’s CEO, Chris Marsh, asking him for his views on a wide range of topics, including where he sees the sector in five to 10 years’ time…

Tell us about your background and your progression to CEO

I’ve spent most of my career in the utilities sector, working across various businesses within the SSE group. It was during this time that I first became involved with renewables , particularly wind energy. Even back then, it was clear to me that the future of energy generation would have to come from renewable sources, a belief that continues to inspire me in my role at Enviromena.

After more than 10 years at SSE, I transitioned to a new industry in 2018, joining P2i Limited, a nanotechnology company based in Abingdon. My time at SSE provided an excellent foundation for my professional growth, including qualifying as an accountant, but it was at P2i that my career really advanced. In 2021, I was given the opportunity to join Enviromena.

I initially started at Enviromena as UK Financial Controller, focusing primarily on asset management for two portfolios owned by our shareholder. As the UK operation became a key driver of the company’s growth, I progressed alongside the business, becoming CFO in 2022 and eventually stepping into the role of CEO at the end of 2023.

Since joining Enviromena I’ve seen the business go from strength to strength which is testament to the fantastic people we have.

Tell us about Enviromena and its history, including what sets you apart

Enviromena has built an impressive track record in the renewable energy sector since its founding in 2007 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Initially, the company focused solely on projects within the UAE, before expanding its operations across the MENA region, including Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan. Over this period, Enviromena successfully installed more than 17,000 solar systems and brought over 425 MW of capacity into operation.

In 2017, Enviromena was acquired by London-based Arjun Infrastructure Partners, marking its first steps into the European market. Shortly after, the company developed a portfolio of solar assets in Italy and, in 2018, established a UK office in Reading.

Since joining forces with Arjun, Enviromena has built a pipeline of over 2 GW in solar and storage projects. The company has successfully constructed 70 MW of solar capacity, with an additional 80 MW currently under construction. Today, Enviromena has over 200 MW in the planning process, with another 200 MW expected to be submitted for approval by the end of 2024.

Last year marked a significant milestone in our growth as we transitioned from being a developer and EPC business to becoming an Independent Power Producer (IPP). This shift truly highlights the strengths of our business, as we collaborate across the entire project lifecycle—from engaging with landowners at the outset, through the design and planning phases, to construction and, ultimately, operations. Throughout this process, we focus on the long-term viability of each project to ensure we deliver a high-quality, sustainable product that will perform effectively over the asset's lifetime.

Medebridge is the first site under construction since this transition, and we’re incredibly proud of the progress made so far. Once operational, the majority of the energy generated will be sold to the University of Manchester under a cPPA. We’re equally proud to be partnering with such a respected and well-established offtaker.

What truly sets Enviromena apart is its people, many of whom have been part of the UK solar industry since its pioneering days—though they may not be eager to admit it! Alongside this deep expertise that spans the entire business, Enviromena also benefits from having dedicated in-house teams that cover every aspect of the project lifecycle, from business development and construction through to operations, legal, and finance. This comprehensive in-house capability allows us to deliver seamless, high-quality projects from start to finish.

You’ve delivered some very interesting projects in the UK and beyond – can you tell us more about a few of these?

Horsey Levels stands out as the first UK project to connect under the National Grid's technical limits reform process. Initially, the connection was projected for the mid-2030s, but thanks to extensive collaboration with National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), the timeline was brought forward by more than a decade.

We hope this project will serve as a model for other developers to expedite their own grid connections, highlighting the leadership and expertise of Enviromena’s team in driving industry progress.

This project has been nominated for the Project of the Year category at the Solar & Storage Live Awards, following its recognition as ‘highly commended’ at both the UK Green Business Energy Awards and the British Renewable Energy Awards earlier this year.

The UK’s energy sector has made great strides over the past few decades. What are your predictions for the coming 5 – 10 years?

I believe (and hope!) we will see a continuation of the current trend—growing public discourse on how we generate our energy, alongside ongoing discussions about energy security, leading to more opportunities for renewable projects. As this momentum builds and traditional fossil fuel generation gradually declines, the UK’s energy mix will undergo a significant transformation.

With the shift towards weather-dependent generation sources like wind and solar, balancing the grid will become increasingly important. A strong portfolio of battery storage projects will be essential to smooth out the variability in energy generation and maintain grid stability.

If there’s one thing that could speed our transition to a fully renewable future, what would that be?

The good news is that the necessary generation and storage technologies, such as nuclear, solar, wind, and batteries, are already available today, with emerging technologies like hydrogen and small-scale nuclear fusion expected to complement them in the future. However, the major challenge for the UK, and many other developed countries, lies in efficiently transferring energy from where it's generated to where it's consumed. The National Grid faces an unprecedented task of transitioning to a distributed energy generation network, a challenge that must be addressed to meet the UK’s net zero goals.

From our experience, the default grid connection dates offered by Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) are often set for the mid-2030s. While we’ve had some success in expediting grid connections, the UK grid requires a significant overhaul to maintain investor confidence and continue progress toward a greener future.

Consistency in energy policy across successive governments is crucial. As demonstrated in the recent changes to the mandatory transition timeline for new electric cars, changes create uncertainty, undermine investor confidence and ultimately cause delays in the broader energy transition.

You’ve worked with the Close Brothers’ Energy team for a few years now. What has that been like?

The Close Brothers Energy team has been a pleasure to work with, and what sets them apart from the competition is their practical, common-sense approach to lending. This was especially evident on the Medebridge project, which presented several challenges due to the large size of the land parcels. Rather than simply pointing out the difficulties, the Close Brothers Energy team and their advisors worked collaboratively to find effective solutions.

Thank you Chris. Please leave us with one positive thought about anything of your choosing!

I could talk endlessly about my optimism as a Cardiff City supporter, a Welsh rugby fan, or even a NYG fan – but the silver lining is, the only way is up for all of them! On a professional note, I’m fortunate to have a front-row seat to the renewable energy transition in the UK, and I’m thrilled with the progress the industry is making. Energy impacts every aspect of our lives, and I’m happy to say that the transition is in full swing!

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