Energy efficiency
18 August 2021
Clean, reliable and affordable energy can be a critical enabler of poverty alleviation, sustainable economic development and the creation of communities more resilient to the challenges posed by climate change. Despite having some of the world’s best renewable energy sources, almost 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa live without access to electricity.1 Whilst this number has been in steady decline over recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has halted progress. 13 million more people lacked access to electricity in 2020 compared to the previous year.2
Revego aims to tackle this challenge and accelerate the deployment of new clean electricity generation capacity by acquiring equity in operational renewable energy projects across South Africa, helping developers unlock and recycle capital. UK Climate Investments has established this innovative green finance vehicle alongside Investec Bank Limited and Eskom Pension and Provident Fund.
The initial portfolio will contain stakes in six projects located across South Africa, with a combined installed capacity of 605 MW. Revego intends to continue to grow its portfolio through the acquisition of new assets across the region.
UK Climate Investments is a joint venture between Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG) and the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), which invests UK International Climate Finance to help the world’s developing economies tackle climate change and promote clean, resilient and inclusive growth.
Richard Abel
Managing Director, UK Climate Investments
During its COP26 Presidency, the UK is dedicated to raising global climate ambition and supporting clean energy transition in the run up to the summit. It is committed to creating a greener, fairer and more resilient economy as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. This innovative UK programme demonstrates the transformative impact that international climate action can have through its support of economic growth and job creation in sub-Saharan Africa, helping to build resilience to future shocks.
Adam Bye
Acting British High Commissioner
Reyburn Hendricks
Chief Executive Officer, Revego Africa Energy Limited
UK Climate Investments also recently marked the delivery of its latest project in South Africa – Kruisvallei Hydro – a run-of-river hydropower facility which it part-financed alongside majority black-owned renewable energy investor H1 Holdings. The project takes the total capacity of renewable electricity financed through the partnership in South Africa to 254 MW.
Managed by Macquarie Asset Management and supported by the wider GIG team, UK Climate Investment’s dedicated team of investment professionals have committed approximately £70 million of UK International Climate Finance over three years to support the development of clean energy and green finance markets in sub-Saharan Africa.
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About UK Climate Investments
www.greeninvestmentgroup.com/ukci
UK Climate Investments is a £200 million pilot investment programme mandated to invest in India and sub-Saharan Africa. It targets transformational green energy investments where UK Climate Investments capital can mobilise additional private sector capital on a sustainable basis to promote cleaner, greener growth in these developing economies. UK Climate Investments LLP is a joint venture between the Green Investment Group and the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. It forms part of the UK’s aid funded International Climate Finance, which is a UK Government commitment to support emerging markets and developing countries to respond to the challenges and opportunities of climate change. UK Climate Investments is managed by Macquarie Asset Management, the world’s largest infrastructure manager. For further information, please visit: www.greeninvestmentgroup.com/what-we-do/uk-climate-investments and www.gov.uk/guidance/international-climate-finance.
[1] https://www.iea.org/reports/sdg7-data-and-projections/access-to-electricity
[2] IEA ‘The Covid-19 crisis is reversing progress on energy access in Africa’ – available at iea.org