Palisade Investment Partners is building a portfolio of renewable energy projects in excess of $1 billion, based on investment mandates agreed with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC).
The CEFC is allocating up to $100 million of equity to the initial $1 billion investment strategy and Palisade is committing up to $400 million of additional equity through a combination of managed funds and its direct investment mandate clients.
Palisade’s current direct investment mandate clients include VicSuper, LGIAsuper, Qantas Super, and others. NAB and the Commonwealth Bank will provide debt financing for the renewable energy projects.
Palisade chief executive, Roger Lloyd, said “Palisade is well placed to work with our investors and partners to identify and commit to eligible renewable projects which can make a substantial contribution to Australia’s clean energy capacity”.
“We see renewable energy investments fulfilling our investment criteria and delivering robust and sustainable cash flows, which are important to our investors,” he said.
“Sustainability is key for Palisade and our investors. We are pleased to offer an additional investment strategy that meets this objective and generates long-term secure returns.”
Commenting, CEFC chief executive, Oliver Yates, said there was a considerable funding gap in new renewable energy investments in the country if Australia is to meet the renewable energy target.
“We expect this transaction will play an important role in catalysing new finance to help close that gap and accelerate our overall renewable energy capacity,” Yates said.
“Through this strategy we are looking to attract investors at an earlier stage of project development, so we can more effectively accelerate the construction of commercially-viable projects.
“This means we can inject equity into projects at the time they need it most, so they can begin generating energy as soon as possible.”
The strategy is capable of initially developing up to 500 megawatt in solar and wind generation projects throughout Australia.
