A public-private partnership backed by BlackRock Alternatives plans to buy a 31.25% stake in Lake Turkana Wind Power, Africa’s largest wind farm located in northern Kenya.
(Bloomberg) — A public-private partnership backed by BlackRock Alternatives plans to buy a 31.25% stake in Lake Turkana Wind Power, Africa’s largest wind farm located in northern Kenya.
The Climate Finance Partnership, conceived by BlackRock and the governments of France, Germany and Japan as well as US impact organizations, will acquire the equity stakes of Finnfund, Vestas, and the Investment Fund for Developing countries, BlackRock said in an emailed statement. It didn’t disclose the value of the deal.
The CFP, which secured $673 million in commitments, is focused on investing in climate infrastructure across emerging markets in order to help fast-track the global transition to a net zero economy. BlackRock Alternatives said the transaction in the 310-megawatt project is its first private-market investment into Africa.
The CFP’s climate mission bodes well for Kenya’s target to make its grid’s energy sources fully renewable by 2030 from about 92% currently. Kenya is pushing various initiatives from adding renewable energy capacity to planting forests in a bid to achieve net zero status by 2050.
“Developing economies are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,” David Giordano, the head of climate infrastructure at BlackRock Alternatives, said. “CFP’s unique blended model brings together the public and private sectors to accelerate institutional investment into clean energy in emerging markets.”
Vestas, which holds a 12.5% stake in the Lake Turkana project, said the planned sale follows its “strategy to develop wind parks but not being a long-term owner,” spokesman Kristian Holmelund Jakobsen said in an emailed response to questions.
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