Investment firm Ardian has acquired over half a billion euros worth of seed assets for a newly launched open-ended clean energy fund.
The manager said the Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF), which has AXA Group as a cornerstone investor, is targeting €1bn for its first investment cycle.
Ardian said more than half of the €1bn has already been invested in the seed portfolio of 12 wind and solar assets, totalling 1GW of capacity in Europe and the Americas.
ACEEF intends to invest up to €150m for each transaction as it targets ”mature renewable technologies” including solar, wind and hydroelectric, as well as ”emerging technologies” such as biogas, biomass, storage, and energy efficiency, the manager said.
ACEEF is an Article 9 fund under the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, the highest green rating of positive impact that an alternative investment fund manager can achieve.
Mathias Burghardt, the head of Ardian Infrastructure and a member of Ardian’s executive committee, said: “ACEEF is a new innovative step to provide long term capital to accelerate the energy transition.
“The fund, managed by a highly qualified team with a track record spanning 15 years and a large network of industry experts, offers our clients a unique platform to operate in the renewable energy sector with an industrial approach.
“Ardian’s strategy to accelerate the energy transition is more relevant than ever to fight climate change and to contribute to energy independence.”
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