Our thinking Podcasts Private Conversations

Interview with Michael Bonte-Friedheim: Renewable energy – Returns, hopes and threats

We interviewed Michael Bonte-Friedheim, Founder of NextEnergy Capital, the renewable energy asset manager. During the call we discussed:

• The growth of the solar energy sector and multitude of new investment opportunities.

• How solar assets generate cashflow and dividends throughout the life of the fund and yield expected returns on exit.

• How lower costs (and government subsidies) and carbon pricing are fuelling the growing demand

• What can be done to promote genuine ESG in our industry instead of just green washing.

NextEnergy Capital (“NEC”) Group is the leading specialist international investment and asset manager exclusively focused on the solar sector. It has over 190 employees across six offices, including London, Milan, Hyderabad, New York, Luxembourg and Guernsey.

Since inception it has acquired over 200 solar assets and currently manages c.$2.5bn in AuM dedicated to the solar infrastructure sector across its three institutional funds (NextPower III, NextPower II and NextEnergy Solar Fund). The installed capacity across the Group’s institutional investment vehicles exceeds 1GWp.

The Group’s operating asset management division, WiseEnergy, manages and monitors in excess of 2GWp of installed solar capacity comprising some 1,500 solar plants spread across Europe, the US, Africa and Asia. WiseEnergy’s clients include assets owned by the Group’s funds and unaffiliated owners of operating solar plants.