CVC Fund VIII to acquire 50% of Gridspertise, an Enel Group company focused on digital transformation of power grids

CVC Capital Partners Fund VIII is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with Enel Group to acquire 50% of Gridspertise, a leading smart grid OEM serving electricity infrastructure operators owned by the Enel Group through Enel Grids.

Gridspertise is an energy transition enabler, providing essential hardware, software and services to electricity infrastructure operators. Its products help customers transform traditional electricity distribution grids into smart grids and respond to the steep growth in power consumption demands.

Thanks to its high-quality products and innovative technology, Gridspertise is well-positioned in a large and global market of around €30 billions, with market leader positions in Italy, Brazil, Latin America and Spain and with strong global ambitions.

The product offering of Gridspertise includes smart electricity meters, smart grid devices – namely devices installed at a higher level of the electricity value chain which record energy flows and automate energy dispatching decisions – and software and services to enable these systems to function.

Quotes

Gridspertise is a unique opportunity to leverage the growth of energy transition incentives offered by authorities worldwide

Jiri ZrustPartner, Head of Infrastructure at CVC

Andrea Ferrante, Senior Managing Director at CVC, said: “We are excited about this investment and look forward to working closely with Enel and the management team led by Robert Denda to further improve Gridspertise’s go-to-market capabilities, diversify the current geographical footprint and optimise operational performance.”

“Our global expertise in the space of energy infrastructure, with investments in Naturgy, PPC and PKP Energetyka, has been crucial to position ourselves as a reliable partner for Enel in Gridspertise. Gridspertise is a unique opportunity to leverage the growth of energy transition incentives offered by authorities worldwide”, added Jiri Zrust, Partner, Head of Infrastructure at CVC.

The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2022 and is subject to customary closing conditions.

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Ratos company HENT to build FREYR Battery’s Giga Arctic battery factory in Mo i Rana

Ratos

he Norwegian construction company HENT, which signed a major partnership contract with FREYR in December 2021 regarding battery factories in Mo i Rana, has been commissioned to build FREYR Battery’s Giga Arctic battery factory. HENT will be responsible for planning, project administration and constructing the first battery factory, with floor space of 120,000 square metres.

Giga Arctic is the collective name of FREYR’s previously planned battery factories Gigafactory 1 and 2 in Mo i Rana. The annual manufacturing capacity is estimated at 29 GWh. Giga Arctic will primarily produce lithium-ion batteries, specifically lithium ferro-phosphate (LFP) batteries.

“Giga Arctic is yet another landmark to be proud of in HENT’s portfolio. This is an important project for society at large, since the factory will produce batteries that reduce global carbon dioxide emissions, which contributes to the transition towards a sustainable society. It is particularly gratifying that the project will be carried out in the collaborative form “Partnering”. Partnering contracts now make up the majority of HENT’s order book. Furthermore, specialist expertise in large, complex projects is attractive. Ratos is a proud long-term owner with a conviction that sustainability means profitability,” says Christian Johansson Gebauer, Chairman of the Board of HENT and President Business Area Construction & Services, Ratos.

“This is an important milestone for us. We remain humble, but we are proud to be part of the new industrial initiative in Norway. Building this battery factory is evidence of our ability to collaborate when navigating large-scale construction projects side-by-side with our clients. HENT is an active advocate for building safely and sustainably, and when we work with FREYR we have a like-minded partner with a clear vision of a strong and sustainable battery industry in Norway,” says Jan Jahren, CEO, HENT.

About HENT AS
HENT is a leading construction company that mainly works with new construction of public and commercial real estate. HENT focuses on project development, project management and purchasing. Its projects are carried out with their own project administration and in collaboration with a knowledgeable network of quality-assured subcontractors. They conduct projects throughout Norway and in selected segments in Sweden and Denmark.

About FREYR Battery Norway AS
FREYR is a pioneering manufacturer of clean battery solutions for a better planet. FREYR is driven by cost-efficient hydro and wind power and designs and manufactures high-density, cost-stable lithium-ion batteries with a lower carbon footprint for the rapidly expanding global market for electric mobility, stationary energy storage and marine and aviation applications.

For further information, please contact:
Josefine Uppling, VP Communication, Ratos, +46 76 114 54 21

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DIF Capital Partners invests in leading global renewable energy platform Qair

Qair, a fast growing renewable energy platform company, and DIF Capital Partners, a leading global independent investment manager, are pleased to announce that they have signed a partnership agreement whereby DIF, through DIF Infrastructure VII, will invest in the company to accelerate its growth and portfolio build out.

Qair is an independent power producer that develops, owns, and operates multi-technology renewable energy projects. The platform is focused on a wide range of technologies including onshore and offshore wind, utility scale solar, energy from waste, hydroelectricity, (battery) storage, hydrogen production, as well as tidal energy. Qair is a global player with a presence in 20 countries. The majority of its activities are based in France, Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain and Brazil. The company has 550 employees and is headquartered in Paris, France.

Qair has an operational portfolio of c. 1 GW, which is mainly comprised of (onshore) wind (c. 75%) and solar projects, as well as a development pipeline of 25 GW. The company benefits from strong development capabilities and foresees to add around 4 GW of renewable projects over the next five years.

Louis Blanchard, CEO of Qair: “With my partners Jean Marc Bouchet and RGreen, and the broader Qair team, we are happy to welcome DIF Capital Partners and join forces to pursue the development of our group’s strategy. We are confident that with the entrepreneurial spirit that drives us both, DIF will offer us the best support in our mission to accelerate the energy transition, especially within the current complex energy market.”

Gijs Voskuyl, Partner at DIF and Head of Investments for DIF Infrastructure VII adds: “DIF is delighted to partner with Qair and its management team and support them in their next phase of growth. We believe the company has built up an excellent track record and an impressive pipeline across a wide range of renewable energy sectors and countries and is very well positioned to play a leading role in the continuous decarbonization of the global economy”.

Qair was advised by August Debouzy, PSP Avocats, NM Advisory, 8 Advisory, PwC, Niddam-Drouas and Drooms. DIF was advised by Astris Finance, KPMG, H3P, Clifford Chance, UL, DNV, Baringa and Marsh.

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent investment manager, with ca. EUR 14 billion in assets under management across eleven closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in infrastructure companies and assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Australia through two complementary strategies:

  • DIF CIF funds, of which DIF CIF III is the latest vintage, target equity investments in small to mid-sized core-plus infrastructure companies in the telecom, energy transition, and transportation sectors.
  • Traditional DIF funds, of which DIF Infrastructure VII is the latest vintage, target core and build-to-core infrastructure equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and energy transition projects (incl. renewable energy).

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 200 professionals, based in eleven offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney, and Toronto. For more information please visit www.dif.eu.

Contact: Thijs Verburg, t.verburg@dif.eu.

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DIF Capital Partners acquires a majority stake in French EV charging operator Bump

DIF

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”) is pleased to announce that DIF Core-plus Infrastructure Fund III has closed the acquisition of a 55% stake in Bump SAS (“Bump” or the “Company”), a Paris-headquartered Charge Point Operator (“CPO”) that designs, installs, operates and owns Electric Vehicle (“EV”) charging infrastructure.

The Company has a unique positioning by securing mid to long term contracts primarily with EV fleet operators, both in fleet depots and in third party car parks mostly in Paris and Lyon. Founding shareholders include the management team, as well as Otoqi, a mobility services platform, and Firalp, a building contractor specialized in electrical & digital networks. All founding shareholders will remain invested in the Company.

Since inception Bump managed to develop a fast growing existing EV charging infrastructure base, with an expected portfolio of over 1,700 charge points installed or signed by the end of 2022. DIF’s investment will support the Company in significantly growing the portfolio of charge points with the ambition to be one of France’s market leaders in the fast growing B2B segment.

France is a key target market for DIF and is served locally by its 13-person strong team in Paris. The investment in Bump is DIF’s second investment in the sector after the acquisition of a majority stake in Plugit Oy, a leading Finnish EV charging infrastructure company, last year.

Willem Jansonius, Partner and Head of Investments for the DIF CIF strategy, says: “DIF believes that the electrification of transportation will play a critical role in reducing carbon emissions. We are impressed by the management team of Bump and what the Company has realised to date. We are excited to invest alongside the existing shareholders to speed up the rollout of charging infrastructure across France, which is expected to become the second largest EV charging market in Europe”.

François Oudot, CEO of Bump, adds: “We are excited about this opportunity to accelerate our growth and tap the booming French EV market. Partnering with DIF will enable us to secure long term financial resources and benefit from their experience in supporting large capex roll out programs”.

Bump was advised by Celsius Avocats (legal), Finergreen (M&A) and E-Cube (commercial). DIF was advised by Gide (legal and tax), H3P (M&A), Boston Consulting Group (commercial), DNV (technical), Marsh (insurance) and PwC (finance and model audit).

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent investment manager, with ca. EUR 14 billion in assets under management across eleven closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in infrastructure companies and assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Australia through two complementary strategies:

  • DIF CIF funds, of which DIF CIF III is the latest vintage, target equity investments in small to mid-sized core-plus infrastructure companies in the telecom, energy transition, and transportation sectors.
  • Traditional DIF funds, of which DIF Infrastructure VI is the latest vintage, target core infrastructure equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and energy transition projects (incl. renewable energy).

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 190 professionals, based in eleven offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney, and Toronto. For more information please visit www.dif.eu.

Contact: Thijs Verburg, t.verburg@dif.eu.

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KKR Invests in Hero Future Energies in $450 Million Transaction

KKR

NEW DELHI–(BUSINESS WIRE)– KKR, a leading global investment firm, and Hero Future Energies (“HFE” or the “Company”), the renewable energy arm of the Hero Group, today announced the signing of definitive agreements under which KKR and the Hero Group will invest $450 million in the Company. This investment will position HFE for continued growth and support its efforts to expand its renewable energy capacity and capabilities across technologies such as solar, wind, battery storage, and green hydrogen, and into new markets over time. Through its range of solutions, HFE will also look to support companies in their efforts to decarbonize and transition towards sustainable energy sources to achieve their net zero emission goals.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220918005083/en/

Founded in 2012, Hero Future Energies is a leading independent power producer (“IPP”) in India with a diversified portfolio of 1.6 GW of operating solar and wind projects.

Beyond supporting HFE’s growth, this round of investment led by KKR will help accelerate India’s energy transition. It advances the country’s significant effort to expand renewable energy capacity, reduce carbon emissions by 1 billion tons by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, as energy demand continues to grow alongside economic development. Private sector participation, including from global investors, is expected to be a key enabler for India to meet these targets, in lockstep with supportive government policies.1

Hardik Shah, Partner at KKR, said, “Hero Future Energies is a pioneer in India’s renewables sector, and has a strong track record of delivering innovative clean energy solutions to support India’s renewable energy ambitions. HFE’s clean energy solutions play an important role in helping companies decarbonize as energy demands continue to grow. We look forward to working closely with HFE’s management team and existing investors, including the Hero Group and IFC, to help HFE achieve its next phase of growth and contribute to the energy transition efforts in India and globally.”

Rahul Munjal, Chairman & Managing Director of Hero Future Energies, said, “I am happy to welcome KKR as a strategic partner in our company to achieve our goal of expanding renewable energy capacity across multiple geographies by 2025. With this investment, Hero Future Energies will work to accelerate India’s energy transition and contribute to the Indian government’s target of generating half the country’s power from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.”

Srivatsan Iyer, Global CEO of Hero Future Energies, added, “KKR’s investment will drive Hero Future Energies’ growth in the rapidly growing renewable energy markets domestically and globally, as well as in new technologies such as battery storage, solar-wind hybrid projects, round-the-clock power, and green hydrogen, among others. This partnership is also a validation of our core strengths and capabilities in design and engineering, development, and project execution, while achieving excellence in health, safety and environment standards.”

Isabel Chatterton, Asia Pacific Regional Head of Infrastructure at IFC, said, “IFC is pleased to welcome KKR as a strategic partner on our longstanding investment in Hero Future Energies. This investment will enhance the company’s growth plans both in India and globally, meeting surging energy demands and mitigating against climate impacts with reliable and affordable clean energy solutions. Hero Future Energies has been successful in building a leading renewables platform that will help accelerate the transition to a sustainable, green economy.”

KKR makes its investment from its Asia Pacific Infrastructure Fund. The investment in Hero Future Energies builds on KKR’s extensive experience in India and the renewables sector. Since 2011, KKR has deployed over $15 billion in equity globally to invest in renewable assets, such as solar and wind, which have an operational power generation capacity of 23 GW, as of December 31, 2021. In Asia Pacific, KKR sees renewables as core to its infrastructure strategy and seeks to capture the significant opportunities across the region. In 2020, KKR set up Virescent Infrastructure, a renewable energy platform to own and operate renewable assets in India. In 2022, KKR launched Aster Renewable Energy, a renewables platform to develop, build and operate solar, wind, and energy storage projects in Taiwan and Vietnam, with a view to expand to other markets across the region.

About Hero Future Energies

Established in 2012, Hero Future Energies is present across multiple states in India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Singapore, Ukraine and the UK. The company is an independent power producer (IPP) with about 1.6 GW of operating assets across utility and commercial & industrial sectors. The company plans to invest progressively in grid connected solar and wind, rooftop sectors, energy storage and green hydrogen over the next few years in India and internationally.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life, and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About IFC

IFC—a member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work in more than 100 countries, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in developing countries. In fiscal year 2022, IFC committed a record $32.8 billion to private companies and financial institutions in developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity as economies grapple with the impacts of global compounding crises. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

1 Moody’s, June 2022: Policy support and low-cost capital key to India meeting renewable energy targets

Media
For Hero Future Energies:
Dipankar Bose
+91 98104 66530
Dipankar.Bose@herofutureenergies.com

For KKR:
Wei Jun Ong
+65 6922 5813
WeiJun.Ong@kkr.com

Source: KKR

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KKR Leads Investment in Arevia Power

KKR

Financing accelerates development of new solar and wind projects in the United States

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced that KKR has led a significant structured investment in Arevia Power (“Arevia” or the “Company”), a U.S. renewable energy developer, with strategic participation by GCM Grosvenor, a leading global alternative asset management solutions provider. The investment will support the Company’s accelerated growth and development of new solar and wind projects throughout the United States.

Founded in 2015, Arevia is a dedicated solar and wind project developer that originates, permits, and manages renewable energy projects through their lifecycle. Currently, Arevia is advancing a multi-gigawatt (“GW”) portfolio of early-stage projects across the country. Arevia’s projects are responsibly sited and aim to meet local and regional energy demand with a focus on mitigating environmental impacts and minimizing impacts to surrounding communities. Arevia’s founders, industry veterans Mark Boyadjian and Ricardo Graf, have a demonstrated track record of success, having fully developed over 2 GW of utility-scale solar photovoltaic infrastructure.

In tandem with the investment, Arevia has executed a Responsible Contractor Policy (“RCP”) for its entire clean energy portfolio throughout the United States. The RCP actively promotes a highly skilled workforce with a strong commitment to health and safety on the job, fair wages, and benefits, and future workforce development.

“Now is a critical time for the energy transition, and we are elated by this milestone that gives us the flexible capital needed and the right partners to expand our solar and wind project pipeline throughout the country in a thoughtful way.” said Mr. Boyadjian, Managing Partner at Arevia. “KKR is an outstanding new strategic partner with deep renewables and infrastructure experience, and GCM Grosvenor is an equally accomplished infrastructure investor who has also been particularly successful in investing in partnership with organized labor groups. Together, this platform investment and new relationship with two world-class investment firms will super-charge our development of clean energy solutions while delivering good-paying jobs and leading the way on responsible development.”

“We’re thrilled to build on our strategy of investing behind premier developers like Arevia as the need and demand for renewable energy rapidly accelerates,” said Samuel Mencoff, a Director on KKR’s asset-based finance team. “Arevia’s experience successfully executing critical development projects and deep network position it at the forefront of the industry amid strong economic and public policy tailwinds. We look forward to supporting the company in its efforts to shift toward cleaner sources of energy supply.”

“With our investment, we are helping Arevia pursue its mission to drive change by building large-scale renewable infrastructure projects,” said Akhil Unni, Managing Director at GCM Grosvenor. “Not only are we putting capital to work in a way that helps support environmental sustainability and meet applicable renewable portfolio standards, but we are also proud of Arevia’s commitment to an organized skilled workforce.”

Since 2011, KKR and its subsidiaries have deployed over $15 billion in equity to invest in renewable assets, such as solar and wind, which have an operational power generation capacity of over 23 GW, as of December 31, 2021. KKR is making its investment in Arevia from its managed insurance accounts. The investment from GCM Grosvenor will come from its infrastructure practice.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Munish Dayal, Arevia’s outside general counsel, served as legal advisors to Arevia Power. Amis, Patel & Brewer LLP served as legal advisor to KKR and Allen & Overy served as legal advisor to GCM Grosvenor.

About Arevia Power

Founded in 2015, Arevia Power is an independent U.S. utility-scale solar and wind developer. Arevia’s founders have originated over 12GW of greenfield renewable assets primarily on federal and state lands throughout the U.S. Arevia Power was responsible for originating, NEPA permitting, power-contracting, and leading the development of the Gemini Solar + Storage Project between February 2017 and May 2021. Arevia’s core competency is early and often stakeholder collaboration to create mutually beneficial solutions, engendering community trust. Arevia maintains unique value through an explicit focus on transmission and land.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

About GCM Grosvenor

GCM Grosvenor (Nasdaq: GCMG) is a global alternative asset management solutions provider with approximately $71 billion in assets under management across private equity, infrastructure, real estate, credit, and absolute return investment strategies. The firm has specialized in alternatives for more than 50 years and is dedicated to delivering value for clients by leveraging its cross-asset class and flexible investment platform. GCM Grosvenor’s experienced team of over 510 professionals serves a global client base of institutional and high net worth investors. The firm is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York, Toronto, London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Seoul. For more information, visit: gcmgrosvenor.com.

Media Contacts
For Arevia:
Matthew Driscoll
Communications Director, R&R Partners
Matthew.Driscoll@RRPartners.com
M:610-416-9115

For KKR:
Miles Radcliffe-Trenner
212-750-8300
media@kkr.com

For GCM Grosvenor:
Tom Johnson and Will Braun
Abernathy MacGregor
tbj@abmac.com / whb@abmac.com
212-371-5999

Source: KKR

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Ardian, Groupe Casino, Tikehau Capital and Bpifrance to sign an agreement for Ardian to acquire a majority stake in GreenYellow

Ardian

Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Groupe Casino, Bpifrance and Tikehau Capital to acquire a majority stake in GreenYellow, a French pioneer in decentralized energy, serving the energy transition of its customers in France and abroad.  The transaction values the company at €1.4 billion. Casino Group, Bpifrance and Tikehau Capital have reinvested alongside Ardian.

GreenYellow was founded within the Casino Group in 2007, with the aim of accelerating the low-carbon trajectory of large companies around the world. Since its inception, the company has been led by Otmane Hajji (President) and Philippe Houins (Chief Officer in charge of Operations).

GreenYellow offers a complete range of services to help companies make the transition to greener and more efficient energy solutions. The company provides access to low-cost green energy and helps companies optimize their energy consumption.

In 2018, Tikehau Capital and Bpifrance invested € 150 million in GreenYellow to support its development. Today as a market leader, GreenYellow has experienced strong growth and now operates in more than 15 countries on four continents.

Ardian has deep experience in the renewable energy sector, with more than 7.5 GW installed worldwide, as well as in new technologies such as battery storage and green hydrogen. It will use its expertise to provide GreenYellow and its management team with the necessary resources to support its ambitious development plan.

As part of the transaction, the Casino Group, incubator and reference shareholder of GreenYellow since 2007, will retain a minority stake and will remain a leading business partner for the company. Similarly, BPI and Tikehau, who became shareholders in 2018 when they identified GreenYellow’s growth potential, will reinvest part of their proceeds in the company. Ardian’s and the historical shareholders’ plan also includes the participation of the management team and all employees in the capital.

“The quality of GreenYellow’s managers and teams, and the company’s positioning at the heart of the energy transition issues have convinced us. We are certain that the decentralized energy production and energy efficiency solutions proposed by GreenYellow will play a key role in achieving the decarbonization and energy sobriety objectives of companies and communities. We are looking forward to supporting GreenYellow, the French leader in the sector, in its development prospects in France and internationally alongside its historical shareholders, namely the Casino Group, Tikehau Capital and Bpifrance, with whom we share the same ambitions.” Mathias Burghardt, Member of the Ardian Executive Committee and Head of Ardian Infrastructure

“GreenYellow was one of our first investments of our private equity strategy dedicated to the energy transition launched in 2018, and which has invested €900 million in 10 leading European SMEs and ETIs in the sector since then. Thanks to the investments made, in 4 years GreenYellow has strengthened its leadership position in its core markets. With its robust platform, we are confident that GreenYellow will continue its growth path. We share the strategic vision of its management team and look forward to reinvesting to support them in their next phase of development.” Emmanuel Laillier, Head of Private Equity at Tikehau Capital

“Bpifrance, is thrilled to continue to support the company in this new phase of development with Ardian. Since our investment in 2018, the company has grown strongly and has succeeded in consolidating its position as the French leader in the decentralized energy production and energy efficiency market, thanks to its cross-functional expertise and its capacity for innovation. Supporting GreenYellow, a leading player in renewable energies, is fully in line with our Climate Bank strategy.” Charles-Henri Boyer, Head of Participations at BPIFrance

The proposed transaction is subject to a consultation process with the relevant employee representative bodies. It is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022, subject to regulatory approvals for merger control and foreign investments.

ABOUT GREENYELLOW

In 15 years, GreenYellow has become a major player in the energy transition in France and abroad and a true ally of companies and communities in this field. As an expert in decentralized solar photovoltaic production, energy efficiency projects and energy services, GreenYellow offers its customers a unique and global platform to make their energy transition a beneficial and committed reality. Operating in 16 countries on 4 continents, GreenYellow is constantly enriching its offer, through innovation, to meet the needs of private and public actors and accompany them in reducing their ecological footprint.

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world leading private investment house, managing or advising $141bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,300 clients globally. Our broad expertise, spanning Private Equity, Real Assets and Credit, enables us to offer a wide range of investment opportunities and respond flexibly to our clients’ differing needs. Through Ardian Customized Solutions we create bespoke portfolios that allow institutional clients to specify the precise mix of assets they require and to gain access to funds managed by leading third-party sponsors. We also provide a specialist service for private clients through Ardian Private Wealth Solutions. Ardian is majority-owned by its employees and places great emphasis on developing its people and fostering a collaborative culture based on collective intelligence. Our 900+ employees, spread across 15 offices in Europe, the Americas and Asia, are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility.

At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last.

ABOUT GROUPE CASINO

The Casino Group is a key player in the French retail market and a leader in the global food retail market, with nearly 11,000 stores worldwide (France and Latin America).
The Group has built up a portfolio of solid, dynamic and complementary brands thanks to a workforce of more than 200,000 people driven by their passion for retail and customer service, and generated net sales of €31.9 billion in 2020. In all the countries where it operates, the Casino Group is focusing its development on the formats with the highest potential and on its ability to adapt in order to meet the needs of its customers, today and tomorrow.

ABOUT TIKEHAU CAPITAL

Tikehau Capital is a global alternative asset management group with €35.5 billion of assets under management (as of March 31, 2022). Tikehau Capital has developed a broad range of expertise in four asset classes (private debt, real assets, private equity, capital markets strategies) as well as strategies focused on multi-asset solutions and special situations. Led by its co-founders, Tikehau Capital has a differentiating business model, a strong balance sheet, privileged access to global transaction opportunities, and a solid track record in supporting high quality companies and executives. Deeply rooted in the real economy, Tikehau Capital provides innovative and tailored alternative financing solutions to the companies it invests in, and strives to create long-term value for its investors while generating a positive impact on society. Backed by substantial equity capital (€3 billion as of December 31, 2021), the Group invests its capital alongside its investor-clients in each of its strategies. Controlled by its management, alongside leading institutional partners, Tikehau Capital is guided by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and DNA, shared by its 723 employees (as of March 31, 2022) spread across its 13 offices in Europe, Asia and North America. Tikehau Capital is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Paris, Compartment A (ISIN code: FR0013230612; Ticker: TKO.FP)

ABOUT BPIFRANCE

Bpifrance’s equity investments are made by Bpifrance Investissement. Bpifrance finances companies – at every stage of their development – with credit, guarantees and equity. Bpifrance supports them in their innovation and international projects. Bpifrance also ensures their export activity through a wide range of products. Consulting, university, networking and acceleration programs for startups, SMEs and ETIs are also part of the offer proposed to entrepreneurs.
Thanks to Bpifrance and its 50 regional offices, entrepreneurs benefit from a close, single and efficient contact to help them face their challenges.
Follow us on Twitter : @Bpifrance – @BpifrancePresse

Press contacts

ARDIAN

TIKEHAU CAPITAL

Valérie Sueur

+33 1 40 06 39 30

IMAGE 7 Florence Coupry & Juliette Mouraret

press@tikehaucapital.com +33 1 53 70 74 70

BPI FRANCE

Sophie Santandrea

sophie.santandrea@bpifrance.fr +33 7 88 09 28 17

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Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund acquires a 100 MW photovoltaic pipeline under development in Italy

Ardian

Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF) has acquired a 100 MW solar portfolio under development in Sardinia from Atlas and Heron Advisory

Ardian’s aims to promote the development of ESG-led projects with an industrial approach in an increasingly strategic sector

Paris/Milan
July 22, 2022

Ardian, a world leading private investment house, today announces it has completed the acquisition of a PV pipeline through Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF), its new open-ended fund launched in April. The portfolio, sold by Atlas and Heron Advisory, comprises of three photovoltaic projects located in Sardinia. They are currently under development and have a potential total capacity of circa 100 MW.

ACEEF has already acquired control of the SPVs and full investment will be completed upon obtaining all the necessary authorizations. The three photovoltaic projects aim to qualify as agro-voltaic by combining existing agricultural and sheep farming activities with clean photovoltaic energy production.

These assets join the Fund’s existing portfolio, which now includes 13 companies owning wind and photovoltaic assets with more than 1GW renewable capacity in Europe and the Americas.

This transaction also allows ACEEF to consolidate its presence in Italy. Following this acquisition, the fund has a diversified portfolio of wind and photovoltaic assets in Italy, totaling 283MW of capacity. This includes the Energia & Servizi portfolio, which was been acquired in 2022 and consists of 84MW wind farms in operation and 52MW wind projects fully authorized to be built in the coming years.

The Fund will continue to focus on established renewable assets such as photovoltaic, wind and hydro, as well as emerging technologies such as biogas, biomass, storage, and energy efficiency.

“This investment perfectly suits the strategy of the Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund, which benefits from Ardian’s deep industrial expertise, including from its operations engineers and investment professionals, as well as the firm’s bespoke OPTA technology. The transaction demonstrates once again Ardian’s industrial approach in the energy sector, as we support the real economy with long-term capital and a clear goal to accelerate the energy transition. With ACEEF, Ardian’s mission is to take further responsibility for advancing and developing sustainable projects to fight climate change and to contribute to energy independence.” Mathias Burghardt, Head of Ardian Infrastructure and Member of Ardian’s Executive Committee

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world leading private investment house, managing or advising $130bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,300 clients globally. Our broad expertise, spanning Private Equity, Real Assets and Credit, enables us to offer a wide range of investment opportunities and respond flexibly to our clients’ differing needs. Through Ardian Customized Solutions we create bespoke portfolios that allow institutional clients to specify the precise mix of assets they require and to gain access to funds managed by leading third-party sponsors. We also provide a specialist service for private clients through Ardian Private Wealth Solutions. Ardian is majority-owned by its employees and places great emphasis on developing its people and fostering a collaborative culture based on collective intelligence. Our 900+ employees, spread across 15 offices in Europe, the Americas and Asia, are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility.
At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last.

Media contacts

ARDIAN

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Ratos company Aibel wins major offshore wind contract at Hornsea

Ratos

Aibel has been awarded a contract by the world leader in offshore wind, Ørsted, for two platforms for the Hornsea 3 project in the UK sector of the North Sea. Each platform represents a major (value over NOK 2.5 billion) contract for Aibel.

The contract is an EPCI contract where Aibel’s responsibility is for engineering, procurement, construction, and installation in the delivery of two HVDC converter platforms. Hornsea 3 is Ørsted’s third project in the Hornsea Zone, where Hornsea 1 is operational and Hornsea 2 currently is nearing operation.

The two platforms, Hornsea 3 Link 1 and 2, will follow Aibel and Hitachi Energy’s proven concept that has made both companies leading suppliers of HVDC converter platforms for the European offshore wind industry. The two platforms will have a combined capacity of up to 2.852 GW to serve the offshore wind turbines in the Hornsea 3 project. This makes the project the single largest offshore wind project in the world. It is expected to produce enough energy to meet the average daily needs of over 3 million UK homes.

“The development of Aibel’s offering towards renewable energy has been successful and now constitutes the majority of the company’s order book. The new contract shows the company’s strength and ability. As owners we are impressed, Aibel really has the future ahead of it,” says Christian Johansson Gebauer, member of the board of Aibel and President Business Area Construction & Services at Ratos.

“We are proud and honored to enter a new collaboration with Ørsted – a relationship that has matured over the last 36 months. With the contract, we are consolidating our position as a leading supplier of HVDC solutions in the European offshore wind segment. And we accelerate our transformation towards renewables and low carbon solutions. Our order backlog now holds approx. 60% related to offshore wind and electrification of energy infrastructure,” says Aibel’s President and CEO, Mads Andersen.

The platform topside for the Hornsea 3 Link 1 is scheduled to arrive in Haugesund in Q1 of 2025. Forecast sailaway to the Hornsea field is in 2026.

Read more about the project and Ørsted here:
www.orsted.co.uk

For further information, please contact
Josefine Uppling, VP Communication, Ratos, +46 76 114 54 21
Mads Andersen, President and CEO, Aibel, +47 982 96 501

About Ratos
Ratos is a business group consisting of 14 companies divided into three business areas: Construction & Services, Consumer and Industry. In total 2021, the companies have approximately SEK 25 billion in net sales. Our business concept is to own and develop companies that are or can become market leaders. We have a distinct corporate culture and strategy – everything we do is based on our core values: Simplicity, Speed in execution and It’s All About People. We enable independent companies to excel by being part of something larger. People, leadership, culture and values are key focus areas.

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Apollo Funds Announce $175 Million Strategic Investment in Summit Ridge Energy, a Leading Owner-Operator of Community Solar

Apollo
Investment builds on Apollo and Summit Ridge’s shared commitment to support the clean energy transition

NEW YORK and ARLINGTON, Va., July 13, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Apollo (NYSE: APO) and Summit Ridge Energy, LLC (“Summit Ridge”) announced today that funds managed by Apollo affiliates (the “Apollo Funds”) have agreed to make a $175 million strategic investment in Summit Ridge, a leading owner-operator of community solar assets.

Since launching in 2017, Summit Ridge has formed two joint ventures totaling over $1 billion in permanent project capital and has grown its portfolio of solar projects in operation or under construction to more than 300 MW. By the end of 2023, Summit Ridge expects to have more than 500 MW of solar and 100 MWh of battery storage projects online providing energy savings to approximately 175,000 residential and commercial customers. With the investment from the Apollo Funds, Summit Ridge will look to further expand its geographic footprint and continue to scale its platform.

Community solar is a rapidly growing segment of the renewables market that allows individuals, businesses, nonprofits and other groups to participate in the clean energy economy by subscribing to local solar farms at discounted rates to traditional utilities. Community solar projects have increased access to clean energy savings in urban and low-to-moderate income markets. Since 2018, the installed capacity of community solar has skyrocketed, a trend that is expected to continue as consumers become more environmentally conscious, solar economics improve and commitments to the energy transition increase across the country.

Wilson Handler, Apollo Partner, said, “Summit Ridge is an ideal partner for Apollo in the community solar segment as a first mover with a flexible, fully-integrated business model and a proven management team. With this investment, we see tremendous opportunity to access a high-growth segment of the renewables market while also producing positive environmental and social outcomes for local stakeholders. We look forward to working with Steve and the rest of the Summit Ridge team to execute on its current pipeline while exploring additional opportunities to create value.”

Summit Ridge Energy CEO Steve Raeder said, “Summit Ridge is on a strong trajectory and we are excited to welcome Apollo as a new partner. Apollo’s long track record of sustainable investing, coupled with its operational expertise and significant resources, are an excellent match for Summit Ridge’s fast paced growth and leading position in the clean energy economy.”

Corinne Still, Apollo Partner, said, “We are pleased to work with Summit Ridge to expand access for underserved communities to participate in the clean energy transition. Community solar offers compelling benefits for individuals, households and businesses alike. In supporting Summit Ridge’s continued growth, we expect to have a significant positive impact on communities by facilitating increased uptake of renewable energy sources, creating local jobs and developing sustainable infrastructure.”

As a result of the investment by the Apollo Funds, Apollo Partners Corinne Still and Wilson Handler will join the Summit Ridge Energy Board of Directors. Summit Ridge Energy CEO, Steve Raeder, will continue to serve as the board’s chairman.

The transaction underscores Apollo’s commitment to driving a more sustainable future and long track record of investing in or lending to companies supporting the clean energy transition. Earlier this year, Apollo launched its Sustainable Investing Platform, which targets to deploy $50 billion in clean energy and climate capital over the next five years and sees the opportunity to deploy more than $100 billion by 2030. Over the last five years, Apollo deployed over $19 billion1 into energy transition and sustainability-related investments, supporting companies and projects across clean energy and infrastructure, including offshore and onshore wind, solar, storage, renewable fuels, electric vehicles as well as a wide range of technologies to facilitate decarbonization.

Vinson & Elkins served as legal counsel to the Apollo Funds in the transaction. Citibank N.A. served as lead financial advisor and Saul Ewing served as legal counsel to Summit Ridge.

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1 As of December 2021. Reflects (a) for equity investments: (i) total enterprise value at time of signed commitment for initial equity commitments; (ii) additional capital contributions from Apollo funds and co-invest vehicles for follow-on equity investments; and (iii) contractual commitments of Apollo funds and co-invest vehicles at the time of initial commitment for preferred equity investments; (b) for debt investments: (i) purchase price on the settlement date for private non-traded debt; (ii) increases in maximum exposure on a period-over-period basis for publicly-traded debt; (iii) total capital organized on the settlement date for syndicated debt; and (iv) contractual commitments of Apollo funds and co-invest vehicles as of the closing date for real estate debt; (c) for SPACs, the total sponsor equity and capital organized as of the respective announcement dates; (d) for platform acquisitions, the purchase price on the signed commitment date; and (e) for platform originations, the gross origination value on the origination date.


About Apollo

Apollo is a global, high-growth alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade to private equity with a focus on three business strategies: yield, hybrid, and equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of March 31, 2022, Apollo had approximately $513 billion of assets under management. To learn more, please visit www.apollo.com.

About Summit Ridge Energy
Launched in 2017, Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading owner-operator of community solar assets. Through dedicated funding platforms, the team develops, acquires and finances projects within the rapidly growing solar energy and battery storage sectors. By the end of 2023, Summit Ridge expects to have more than 500 MW of solar and 100 MWh of battery storage projects online providing energy savings to approximately 175,000 residential and commercial customers. Learn more at srenergy.com.

Apollo Contact Information
For Investors:
Noah Gunn, Global Head of Investor Relations
(212) 822-0540
IR@apollo.com

For Media:
Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications
(212) 822-0491
Communications@apollo.com

Summit Ridge Energy Contact Information
For Business Development:
business@srenergy.com

For Media:
Isaac Steinmetz
Antenna Group for Summit Ridge Energy
(646) 883-3655
press@srenergy.com

 


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Source: Apollo Global Management, Inc.

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