RP Global, a leading renewable energy developer and investor, announces the sale of its most recent project, the 12 MW wind farm “Le Champvoisin”, to the German independent power producer (IPP) clearvise AG. The deal follows the recent closing of the €24M project financing and includes a 20-year PPA from the French government, one of the last to be awarded. Construction of the wind farm is nearing completion and commercial operation is set to start in August.
Le Champvoisin wind farm in Fomperron, in the Deux-Sevres region, France, is the first project for which RP Global offered a ’crowdfunding campaign’ on the French platform Lendosphere. Through the issuance of these mini-bonds, residents of the communities adjacent to the wind park were offered the opportunity to actively invest and benefit from the project being installed in their vicinity. Annual interest rates of between six and seven percent were offered to residents, depending on their proximity to the wind park, and 247 private lenders participated in the campaign.
clearvise AG currently operates a 158 MW European portfolio which includes approximately 16 wind farms and 2 solar farms located in Germany, France, Ireland and Finland. With a highly experienced team of industry experts, it aims to expand its portfolio of renewable capacities in Europe. Manuel Sieth, CFO of clearvise AG, stated: “As part of our growth strategy, we focus on wind onshore as well as PV farms in Europe. The acquisition of “Le Champvoisin” wind farm fits perfectly with our targeted growth strategy and ideally complements our portfolio. At the same time, we expand our presence in the French market, which is highly attractive for our company. In this respect, we are very pleased to have RP Global as a leading renewable energy developer at our side.”
RP Global will continue to provide operation and maintenance services for the wind farm under a service agreement with clearvise. Jorge Rodriguez, CFO at RP Global commented: “We are extremely pleased with this transaction, which demonstrates our commitment to delivering top-quality renewable projects for investors. Through the provision of O&M services we look forward to developing a fruitful, long-term partnership with clearvise, one of the most reputable investors in the industry.”
RP Global is currently developing a pipeline of over 1 GW of wind and solar projects in France, which makes the country one of its most important markets. “We maintain our focus on our solid portfolio of greenfield development and continue to establish long-term partnerships with best-in-class investors such as clearvise, who have been a delight to collaborate with,” concluded Rodriguez.
