As the European Union has set the high goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050, and to achieve a 32% share of renewable energy in total energy consumption by 2030, the investment field is as buzzing as ever. While states are highly involved in investing in the development and construction of renewable energy sites as well as energy infrastructure, a lot of private investors and companies are getting more and more involved in the business.
Besides solar energy, the most common renewable energy, to date, is wind energy – onshore parks and offshore parks are therefore of high interest for all investors. Moreover – With a sufficient site selection, wind energy is highly efficient, even more than solar energy. Especially in the Nordic countries, where sun exposure is lower, wind energy is very common. In the following article, Renewables.Digital presents 10 of the leading European wind energy investors.
1. Green Investment Group, Edinburgh (UK)
The Green Investment Group is based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. The investor is highly diversified and is active in offshore and onshore, solar, energy efficiency and waste to energy. Since 2015 the company invests into renewable energy and energy efficiency through the UK Climate Investments LLP (UKCI). Since their founding, the Green Investment Group has supported over 11 GW of operational projects around the world.
2. Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Copenhagen (Denmark)
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners is one of the largest fund managers in the sector of renewable energy worldwide. Their portfolio is broadly diversified and combines classic renewable energy assets as wind energy, solar energy with biomass/energy-from-waste or storage investments. Concerning wind energy, the Copenhagen-based investor is interested in both offshore and onshore wind and has accumulated over 1400MW of installed wind capacity, mostly in the United Kingdom where their general geographical focus lies – Nonetheless, the investor is active worldwide.
3. Re-wind, Cuxhaven (Germany)
Re-wind is a German subsidiary of the Spanish investor Qualitas Energy. While Q-Energy has a broader portfolio in the renewable energy sector, re-wind focuses on wind energy in Germany. The Cuxhaven-based wind park investor has a unique business model and is specialized in the refurbishment and restoral of older wind parks (built 2000-2005). Re-wind sees the necessity of long-lasting and renewed windfarms in order to achieve climate goals and combat climate change.
4. Fontavis, Baar (Switzerland)
Fontavis is a Baar-based Fund manager active in sectors all around electricity, mobility and infrastructure. Most of their investments are renewable energy plants – concerning wind energy, the Swiss investor has both onshore and offshore wind plants in their portfolio. The farms are mostly in Germany, Italy and Sweden, while other renewable energy investments are in Switzerland. The wind energy portfolio of the investor adds up to over 275 MW of installed capacity.
5. Scatec, Oslo (Norway)
Scatec is one of the most important Nordic players in the renewable energy sector. The Oslo-based company is active as a developer as well as an investor. All over, scatec has power plant in operation totaling 3,355 MW. While their main focus is solar energy, scatec is also invested in wind energy and so far, has a wind park in Vietnam in operation, which has around 39MW capacity.
6. Eiffel Investment Group, Paris (France)
The Eiffel Investment Group is based in Paris and was founded in 2009. Since then the French investor has grown to one of the most important players in the renewable energy field and has over 3.5 billion euros in assets under management. The Group understands itself as a “responsible investor” and is offering Private Debt, Energy Transition, Listed Credit & Equity as well as Private Equity strategies. The Energy Transition strategy is particularly tailored to renewable energy: Eiffel offers investments solutions in project developments of solar parks as well as in wind farms.
7. Finerge, Lisboa (Portugal)
Finerge has offices in Matosinhos as well as in Lisboa and is one of the biggest renewable energy investors in Portugal and Europe. With the management of 57 Wind Farms and 16 solar plants the focus of the Portuguese investor cleary is wind energy. Finerge is not only an investor in renewable energy plants but is also active in the development and management of such. Founded in 2009 the company has worked its way up and is as active as ever – recently (in 2021) Finerge has invested in 3 wind parks.
8. Ventient Energy, Edinburgh (UK)
Ventient Energy is one of the largest independent power producers and asset managers in the United Kingdom. Founded only recently, in 2017, the Edinburgh-based company now owns and operates a total of 135 onshore wind farms all over Europe. This wind-focused portfolio adds up to a total installed capacity of over 2.6GW.
9. Wirtgen Invest, Wied (Germany)
Wirtgen Invest is one of the most relevant renewable energy investors in Germany. While the firm sees the huge potential of renewable energy and the financing of innovative ideas in this field, Wirtgen Invest also feels that companies have a social and ecological responsibility. Therefore the Wied-based investor has a renewable energy portfolio that is mostly based on solar and wind energy. Their geographical focus is Europe and their wind parks are based in Sweden and Poland.
10. RP Global, Vienna (Austria)
RP Global is a Vienna-based independent power producer and functions as a developer, an investor and an operator. Founded in the 1990s, the company can look back on a nearly thirty-year history and is an experienced player in the field. Nowadays RP Global has a portfolio over over thirty-five renewable energy plants, consisting of wind farms, solar parks and hydro plants. Most of their wind parks are based in Poland and France, 2 wind parks are also based in Croatia. These windparks combined make up for over 250MW of installed capacity.
Image Source: Waldemar Brandt via Unsplash (24.05.2022)
