Latest Analysis
Gulf Plains Wind acquisition, US
Renewables North AmericaUS-based fund manager Harbert Management Corporation almost doubled its renewable energy holdings at the end of last year when it acquired a stake in an 812MW wind portfolio − a deal it ultimately opted to finance in the bank market through a holding company called Gulf Plains Wind
Azito IV phase expansion, Côte d’Ivoire
Power Sub-Saharan AfricaA total of nine DFIs turned up for the debt financing of only the fourth expansion of Globeleq’s on-going concern in Côte d’Ivoire which has now reached financial close – enabling the addition of 253MW of installed power capacity at the 462MW Azito combined cycle gas turbine power plant
B-Day landings in World War 5G
Telecoms Asia PacificWow. What a week to have lived through. It started with UK prime minister Boris Johnson revealing that Huawei would be involved in the roll-out of 5G in Britain – potentially leading to a schism with the US – and ended with Brexit… a rift with Europe
AIIB: an Asian multilateral putting focus on digital
Telecoms Asia PacificThe Beijing-based multilateral Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank issued on 14 January a call for public comments on its draft digital strategy to finance Asia Pacific’s rapidly evolving telecoms sector. IJGlobal data shows that in Asia Pacific, MDBs have had a lower rate of involvement in telecoms projects to date, compared to other sectors
Wind developers persevere in Argentina
Renewables Latin AmericaDevelopers have brought a handful of wind projects in Argentina to financial close in recent months, having turned to development finance institutions and export credit agency wraps amid a lack of enthusiasm from commercial banks
Slow progress for Brazilian offshore wind
Renewables Latin AmericaBrazil is only just beginning to develop an offshore wind market but there are some first movers who are already jostling for position at the start line
To lose Toulouse: sale of Toulouse-Blagnac
Transport EuropeOn the penultimate day of 2019, the audience finally saw the curtain descend on a remarkable French M&A farce. Construction company Eiffage closed on the acquisition of a 49.99% stake in Toulouse-Blagnac Airport from Chinese investors Casil Europe
C&I solar developers weigh their options
Renewables North AmericaWhile yield-hungry investors of all stripes are viewing distributed, small-scale solar companies ever more favorably, the founders and management of the target companies are finding that there are attractive alternatives to selling stakes in their businesses outright
Battle lines drawn for Intelligent Infra
Telecoms North AmericaThe lines are being drawn for an East/West technology battle as Intelligent Infrastructure takes a step closer to becoming reality… with the US placing itself in the vanguard as the tech protector for Western nations
2020: Year of the debt fund?
Oil & Gas North AmericaWhile the gap between equity and debt fundraising was still wide in 2019, Q4 figures highlight a potentially new trend
Tina River Hydro PPP, Solomon Islands
Renewables Asia PacificSolomon Islands' 15MW Tina River Hydro high dam project was around 12 years in development, a saga not atypical for this technology. The financing of this, the nation's first PPP, changed course after global oil prices tanked in 2014 to 2015. A new concessional finance structure emerged, where government on-lends a single blended facility to the project company, complementing private sector equity
A9 Badhoevedorp-Holendrecht, Netherlands
Transport EuropeThe A9 Badhoevedorp-Holendrecht expansion project reached financial close at the end of 2019, bringing to a conclusion procurement of the five-stage SAA Corridor Scheme to improve road connectivity between the core Dutch cities
Banks eye "boring" construction loans for Mexican CCGTs
Oil & Gas Latin AmericaA flurry of tenders for gas-fired projects in Mexico may be good news for construction contractors, but the prevailing state-ownership model means project finance bankers will be left to scrap over "boring" construction loans rather than meaty project finance mandates
CCGT sponsors push on in PJM, auction or no auction
Renewables North AmericaDevelopers of gas-fired projects in PJM Interconnection are forging ahead with financing plans for Q1 2020, despite lingering uncertainty over the delayed capacity auction timetable and rules, while frustrated renewable energy developers have been forced back to the drawing board
Opportunities in Caribbean infrastructure
North AmericaThe demand for infrastructure investment in the Caribbean region is significant, even before you consider the pressing need for greater climate resilience due to extreme weather events
Bring on the infra revolution
Transport EuropeIt seems fitting that the first editorial of a new decade should focus on how the market is evolving to meet future demands as greenfield infrastructure morphs into a creature significantly different to the beast we know