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Johannesburg - Standard Bank Group [JSE:SBK] has signed a R20bn funding support agreement for renewable energy projects in South Africa with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).
ICBC is Standard Bank’s single largest shareholder with a 20% stake. The deal is innovatively structured to provide the funding out of rand money accruing to ICBC by virtue of that shareholding.
The agreement was signed by ICBC chairperson Jiang Jianqing and Standard Bank group joint chief executive Ben Kruger.
“This is an extremely significant transaction. It highlights Standard Bank’s commitment to the renewable energy sector and demonstrates the strength of the partnership between Standard Bank and ICBC‚ the world’s largest bank‚” said Kruger.
“ICBC's aim is to promote the use of renewable energy in South Africa in support of the South African government’s Renewable Energy Programme‚ and through this partnership‚ to help save the environment," said Jianqing.
ICBC is also certainly interested in raising awareness of the South African investment opportunity among Chinese suppliers as potential sources of contracting capability, said Jianqing.
Jianqing said that the ICBC is excited about the opportunity to co-lend into renewable energy with Standard Bank‚ ICBC's South African strategic partner‚ through to 2025.
ICBC sees itself as an important partner of the South African government in its developmental ambitions.
“Standard Bank and ICBC will jointly provide debt financing on a project finance basis to companies that are awarded Preferred Bidder status under the country’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.
"This will apply to projects where Standard Bank is or will be mandated as a lead arranger‚” said George Kotsovos‚ head of power and infrastructure finance at Standard Bank.
Standard Bank chose to take the lead in unlocking alternative sources of funding for renewable energy projects as it has been one of the leading players in the bidding process for renewable energy projects in both rounds of the bidding process so far.
In the first round of renewable IPPs that were finalised last year‚ Standard Bank financed over R9bn of debt funding‚ and in the second round it expects to fund R6bn.
Kotsovos said the imminent third round is expected to illicit further significant interest from developers and liquidity may soon become an issue‚ while ICBC’s involvement will help to reduce the pressure.
“It represents a further diversification of our sources of funding in addition to domestic asset managers‚ who are currently keen to invest in such projects.
The renewable energy programme will require a large funding commitment and the more sources of available capital the better.
"The flexibility that these long-term sources of capital offer allows us to structure deals appropriately‚” said Kotsovos.
ICBC is Standard Bank’s single largest shareholder with a 20% stake. The deal is innovatively structured to provide the funding out of rand money accruing to ICBC by virtue of that shareholding.
The agreement was signed by ICBC chairperson Jiang Jianqing and Standard Bank group joint chief executive Ben Kruger.
“This is an extremely significant transaction. It highlights Standard Bank’s commitment to the renewable energy sector and demonstrates the strength of the partnership between Standard Bank and ICBC‚ the world’s largest bank‚” said Kruger.
“ICBC's aim is to promote the use of renewable energy in South Africa in support of the South African government’s Renewable Energy Programme‚ and through this partnership‚ to help save the environment," said Jianqing.
ICBC is also certainly interested in raising awareness of the South African investment opportunity among Chinese suppliers as potential sources of contracting capability, said Jianqing.
Jianqing said that the ICBC is excited about the opportunity to co-lend into renewable energy with Standard Bank‚ ICBC's South African strategic partner‚ through to 2025.
ICBC sees itself as an important partner of the South African government in its developmental ambitions.
“Standard Bank and ICBC will jointly provide debt financing on a project finance basis to companies that are awarded Preferred Bidder status under the country’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.
"This will apply to projects where Standard Bank is or will be mandated as a lead arranger‚” said George Kotsovos‚ head of power and infrastructure finance at Standard Bank.
Standard Bank chose to take the lead in unlocking alternative sources of funding for renewable energy projects as it has been one of the leading players in the bidding process for renewable energy projects in both rounds of the bidding process so far.
In the first round of renewable IPPs that were finalised last year‚ Standard Bank financed over R9bn of debt funding‚ and in the second round it expects to fund R6bn.
Kotsovos said the imminent third round is expected to illicit further significant interest from developers and liquidity may soon become an issue‚ while ICBC’s involvement will help to reduce the pressure.
“It represents a further diversification of our sources of funding in addition to domestic asset managers‚ who are currently keen to invest in such projects.
The renewable energy programme will require a large funding commitment and the more sources of available capital the better.
"The flexibility that these long-term sources of capital offer allows us to structure deals appropriately‚” said Kotsovos.
