KKR, a global investment firm, announced the signing of a definitive agreement pursuant to which investment funds and accounts managed by KKR agreed to acquire a majority stake in Avantus, a premier U.S. developer of large utility-scale solar and solar-plus-storage projects.
Following the close of the transaction, KKR and existing investor EIG, a leading institutional investor in the global energy and infrastructure sectors, will be the sole equity investors in Avantus. Both equity sponsors are dedicated to supporting the next phase of Avantus’ growth, including having secured commitments for a substantial development financing facility alongside their equity commitments to the company, totaling upwards of $1 billion in the aggregate, as per the statement.
Founded in 2009, Avantus supports solar and energy storage development throughout the project lifecycle – from selecting a project site through operations – and owns a large project pipeline of 30 GWp of solar and 94 GWh of battery storage, enough to provide 20 million people with clean, reliable power. The company has a substantial presence and track-record of successful development in the southwestern U.S. and California power markets, which are among the highest-quality markets for development in the U.S. Since its founding, Avantus has developed and sold 6.5 GWp and 6.3 GWh of solar and storage projects, respectively.
“To support an economy-wide energy transition, there is a need to significantly expand renewable energy generation by 2050 and enable grid electrification. Because of these tailwinds, we see enormous opportunity for Avantus. The company’s impressive team and development track record, coupled with its mature project pipeline, set it apart from other renewables developers,” said Charlie Gailliot, Partner and Co-Head of Global Climate Strategy, KKR. “We are delighted to support Avantus in realizing its full potential.”
Cecilio Velasco, Managing Director in KKR’s Infrastructure team, added, “We look forward to working with Avantus and EIG and leveraging KKR’s substantial resources and operational expertise to accelerate the growth of the business. Today marks the beginning of a new era for the company, one that will help further the transition of the power sector through sustainable, clean energy solutions.”
Blair Thomas, EIG Chairman and CEO, said, “EIG has been pleased to support Avantus since 2021, through capital solutions uniquely tailored to the company’s needs and goals. Throughout our partnership, Avantus has maintained and extended its position as one of the leading and most innovative renewables developers in the United States, helping to spur the industry’s rapid growth and expanding access to affordable, reliable and clean energy. We are excited to continue working with the Avantus team and are pleased to welcome KKR as we pursue the next phases of Avantus’ growth and evolution.”
“Solar is the fastest growing electricity source in the U.S., and along with energy storage, will serve as the backbone of a modern electric grid that is clean, reliable and resilient,” said Patrick Goff, Chief Financial Officer at Avantus. “KKR’s investment provides Avantus the financial backing and expertise to execute on our ambitious portfolio and lead the energy transition across the Western United States. We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter with KKR and EIG and continue our company’s growth.”
Following the closing of the transaction, KKR will support Avantus in creating an equity ownership program to provide all employees the opportunity to participate in the benefits of ownership of the company. This strategy is based on the belief that employee engagement is a key driver in building stronger companies. Since 2011, KKR portfolio companies have awarded billions of dollars of total equity value to over 60,000 non-management employees across more than 40 companies.
With over 15 years of experience in infrastructure investing, KKR has deep expertise in renewable energy and climate-related investments and has invested more than $15 billion in this sector from its infrastructure platform alone. KKR is funding the investment from its global climate strategy, which is dedicated to investing in solutions at scale to support the transition to a low-carbon economy, as per the statement.
Jefferies LLC acted as sole financial advisor to KKR. KKR Capital Markets and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) acted as the lead structuring agents and arrangers of a development financing facility for the Company. Scotiabank served as financial advisor to Avantus.
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