Latest Analysis
European floating offshore wind
Renewables EuropeA major milestone for renewable energy was reached in late 2017 with the world’s first floating offshore wind farm entering commercial operations in October. The 30MW Hywind Scotland pilot park is located offshore Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, and consists of five floating 6MW turbines
Full speed ahead?
Transport North AmericaIf high speed rail is going to get successfully financed anywhere in the US, the flat empty expanse of Texas seems as good as place as any. But despite its developer’s bullish attitude, the Texas Central project has significant hurdles to overcome
French offshore wind – and the first shall be last…
Renewables EuropeThe winner of France’s third round of offshore wind tenders will be confirmed later this year and – amusingly – the Dunkirk project stands a good chance of being operational before projects from either of the first two tenders are generating
Fund analysis: CIP III
Renewables EuropeCopenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ third fund reached final close on 23 March 2018, at its hard cap
Vietnam’s transport infrastructure
Transport Asia PacificIt may not be one of the largest economies in Asia, but Vietnam has made a strong commitment to infrastructure spending in recent years
European renewables on the infra fund radar
Renewables EuropeEarly January this year saw the European Parliament approve a new renewable energy target of 35% by 2030, topping the existing agreement between member states on a 27% target by the same year.
Oil majors – shuffling along the Road to Damascus
Oil & Gas Asia PacificIn a volte-face that’s enough to make a North Korean dictator blush, the oil majors are continuing to trip over their feet in a bid to reinvent themselves as good guys, having spent the last century-plus playing the black-hat cowboy
Arroyo Seco and Timbúes CHPs, Argentina
Project finance is finally taking off in Argentina’s energy sector after a years-long dry spell, with only a precious few projects making it to financial close in 2017. Now Argentina’s second-largest energy producer Albanesi Energia has closed the financing for two cogeneration heat and power plant projects in Santa Fe
More to Colombia than just 4G
Transport Latin AmericaColombian cities are following the lead of the capital Bogota and are trying to launch a pipeline of infra PPPs
Infra funds – it’s hammer time
Oil & Gas EuropeInfrastructure’s full of surprises. Hardly a week goes by that the eyebrows don’t shoot up to the hairline (still got one) over some development or another. And this last week has seen more than its fair share of surprises
Infra fund activity – lot more than you'd think
Oil & Gas EuropeAs a young journo working the local press world in 1990s north east Scotland, an old editor – a grizzled hack bearing the scars of hard-living hackery – once said: “Angus, the difference between doctors and journalists is that doctors get to bury their mistakes, ours are out there for everyone to see”
Rantau Dedap geothermal, Indonesia
Renewables Asia PacificIt took four years for the sponsors of the Rantau Dedap geothermal power plant to reach financial close on the $700 million project in South Sumatra, Indonesia
DEWA CSP
Renewables MENAAcwa Power and Shanghai Electric’s 700MW CSP project in Dubai represents the world’s largest thermal solar development. The sponsors are looking to finance the $3.9 billion development with a raft of European, Chinese and regional lenders under a soft mini-perm structure
Friday the 13th – Nightmare on London Streets
Transport EuropeLike all best horror stories, this one is set in the near future – in this case a mere six months hence – a half-year since the C Virus ravaged the market, slashing value from listed infra funds and reducing managers to husks of their former selves
Don Rodrigo solar, Spain
Renewables EuropeThis week German developer BayWa r.e. signed a 15-year PPA with Norwegian utility Statkraft for the 170MWp no-subsidy solar PV project in Spain, extending the tenors for PPAs in the market. Spanish and German banks are preparing to back PPAs with long-term senior debt as soon as this year
US upstream intention
Oil & Gas North AmericaRebounding oil prices saw a surge in upstream oil & gas investments in the US last year, but that enthusiasm may be more muted in 2018