Latest Analysis
Neart Na Gaoithe offshore wind farm, Scotland
Renewables EuropeThis Scottish offshore wind farm – in gaelic meaning ‘Might of the Wind’ – saw a decade pass between development rights being awarded in 2009 and reaching financial close. After years of legal challenges and vacillating subsidy challenges, the raising of construction debt and an equity sell-down were eventually completed concurrently for Neart na Gaoithe
Asia's first infra loan securitisation platform
Oil & Gas Asia PacificClifford Capital and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank announced last month the establishment of Bayfront Infrastructure Management – a platform to mobilise institutional capital for infrastructure debt in Asia. IJGlobal spoke with both equity holders to learn more
IFC’s Super Six wind, Pakistan
A cohort of 11 wind farm projects in PakiJhimpir wind corridor, totalling 560MW in total installed capacity, reached financial close in November 2019. IFC had used a programmatic approach, its first in the wind sector, on what it dubs the Super Six – not to be confused with the Seven Sisters or Nubian Suns
Facility D IWPP expansion, Qatar
Power MENAWhile development of the new Facility E IWPP progresses slowly, Qatar’s General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa) has signed off on a rapid $486.25 million expansion of its existing Facility D IWPP
Dededo combined-cycle power plant, Guam
Renewables Asia PacificGuam Power Authority has procured a 198MW baseload power plant under a build-operate-transfer structure to replace the western Pacific island's ageing and limited baseload power supply. KEPCO becomes Guam's largest power provider with this project. Meanwhile Guam's energy mix is changing rapidly, as the western Pacific US territory is preparing its fourth renewables procurement round
Silvertown Tunnel, UK
Transport EuropeTo say that the UK’s Silvertown Tunnel overcame a series of hurdles to reach financial close would be the understatement of the century. The project tackled environmental objections, planning delays, survived scrapping of the PF2 model, and then – in the final furlong – an appeal from the losing bidder
IJInvestor Awards 2019 Rising Star – Mounir Corm
Oil & Gas EuropeTalking to Mounir Corm, one immediately realises that you are dealing with someone whose interests and skills reach far beyond the financial universe
PF bankers declare war on The Man
Renewables EuropeOne thing a hack never wants to do is to give credit to another title for making a fair fist of a story that sits firmly in his/her own sector… but today, this infra scribbler is swallowing pride while doffing a cap to the FT for writing a story that impacts infrastructure finance on a global basis
Institutional investors bid high on LatAm infra
Oil & Gas Latin AmericaIn search of greater returns, institutional investors from all around the globe seem to be increasingly prepared to take on greater risk. One example of this is a rising appetite for direct investment in Latin American infrastructure, with 2019 figures being three times higher than the full previous year
Puerta de Hierro – Palmar de Varela 4G road, Colombia
Transport Latin AmericaThe latest project to reach financial close under Colombia's massive 4G road programme, the Puerta de Hierro – Palmar de Varela and Carreto – Cruz del Viso toll road crossed the finish line at a time when the Colombian government is pushing hard to move on the more troubled of the 4G projects ahead of the next generation of road concessions
Brazil political risk for infra investors
Renewables Latin AmericaBrazil’s political risk is declining after a decades of tumultuous events. The political crises involving ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Odebrecht, Petrobras and Operation Carwash remain painful reminders to investors worldwide of unmeasured political economic risks
Omaezaki-kou biomass, Japan
Renewables Asia PacificAs Japan winds down its generous solar feed-in tariff scheme, the country’s developers have turned to biomass, which still enjoys a relatively high FiT. Renova took full advantage of Japan’s 20-year FiT to structure an aggressively leveraged transaction for its 75MW Omaezaki-kou biomass power plant in central Japan
IJInvestor's Outstanding Individual: Deborah Zurkow
EuropeThe inaugural winner of the IJInvestor Awards’ Outstanding Individual accolade is Deborah Zurkow, a woman widely credited as one of the driving forces behind the development of infrastructure as a distinct asset class in the eyes of institutional investors
No, actually… it’s all about us!
Oil & Gas Asia PacificWhen we go out to meetings and dare to drop into the conversation the subject of awards nights, it can go either of two ways. Either they lean in, ears pricking up… or they peer at you through fingers, shaking heads vigorously
Zeroing in on Dutch offshore wind
Renewables EuropeThe Netherlands earlier this year announced a winner in the country's second zero-subsidy offshore wind tender. It was only open to subsidy-free bids and paved the way for a first negative subsidy tender due in 2021
What next for Cellnex?
Telecoms EuropeSpanish communications infrastructure operator Cellnex Telecoms has had an impressive year having made a string of substantial asset acquisitions, and with several more potential acquisitions in the pipeline. Given such a high level of M&A activity, what is Cellnex’s long-term strategy?