Our client is a global energy utility company that is investing in clean energy assets – such as large battery projects – with the ultimate goal of substantially increasing the capacity of flexible energy to at least 600 MW in Europe in the short term. The client has a green-focused investment strategy with annualised investment building to £600m–£800m until 2028, delivering average portfolio post-tax unlevered returns of 7–10%+, with further Group portfolio benefit.

As a Business Developer – Large Battery Projects, you will actively contribute to the company’s energy transition and net zero growth strategy, and your primary focus will be on clean assets. In other words, you will assist the transmission network in becoming more stable thanks to the integration of flexible energy sources.

Your key stakeholders will be both external: landowners, industrial entities, transmission network operators, project developers, local authorities, statutory agencies, battery suppliers, engineering companies, law firms; and internal: the company’s finance, commercial, optimisation, legal, project execution, and engineering teams and experts.

As a Business Developer – Large Battery Projects, you will be accountable for:

• Project development – securing land and sites in order to develop > 200 MW of energy assets (batteries) – up to the point of the financial investment decision; the number of prospects vary between 3 and 6 at a time

As a Business Developer – Large Battery Projects, you will have the following key tasks:

• Study the electrical network and favourable locations for energy assets – batteries
• Prospect and secure land for developing energy assets – batteries
• Meet with landowners (industrial companies, private landowners, farmers, public landowners), offering favourable electrical infrastructure arrangements, and negotiate land lease or purchase agreements
• Monitor the implementation of environmental studies and impact assessment
• Work with the transmission network operator to secure a network connection on time
• Negotiate acquisition transactions regarding battery pipelines
• Work with local authorities to secure all necessary construction permits on time
• Prepare solid business cases (taking into account the location, the technology, engineering, specific project needs, and stakeholders’ requirements), and defend your projects to local authorities, city councils, and other permit-issuing bodies
• Manage and develop the project scope based on the requirements, technology, site permits, and network connection
• Work together with the engineers to make the right technical choices in the project development process
• Project cost model – plan and forecast the project development budget (2 to 3 big-scale battery projects)
• Work together with the commercial and the optimisation teams to accomplish a strong business case for the financial investment decision
• Ensure a smooth transition to the project execution team
• Prepare an Investment Committee Paper (ICP) as required
• Travel within Belgium, as well as other countries (Sweden, UK) when required (once in every two months)