PI Partnership – Allianz Global Investors
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF EUROPEAN RENEWABLE ENERGIES
Europe’s renewable energy industry is a dynamic infrastructure market that has evolved over almost a quarter of a century. The sector has grown from a dependence upon government support to a mature and sustainable business with increased private institutional investment. Many of the first investors in the Europe- an renewable energy market were pen- sion funds and other institutional inves- tors looking to match long-term annuity obligations to stable and predictable cash- flows with low or no correlation to other capital markets. Today, as more capital in the renewable sector is flowing to tradi- tional operational assets, investors are exploring opportunities across different sub-sectors
of the renewable energy
space, moving up the project value chain, to maintain the same level of return. Thanks to increasing efficiencies in con- struction and technological advances, the cost of providing renewable energy has dropped dramatically. Solar and onshore wind power are now as competitive as tra- ditional power generation.¹
Meeting today’s challenges The hunt for yield – A major ongoing chal- lenge faced by institutional investors is meeting growing liabilities in a low-yield environment. European jurisdictions have a long history of providing projects with long-term secured revenues via vari- ous structures. This combination of long- term fixed revenues combined with long- term contractually fixed operating costs creates the stability of earnings and ulti- mately the cash-flows most institutional
investors seek. Diversification – Given the fixed revenue and cost structures common to most renewable energy project investments, intermittent generation becomes one of the highest unknowns for revenue gener- ation. The main volatility driver becomes wind and solar irradiation for the dura- tion of the fixed revenues and costs. Low correlation to capital markets stabilises an investor’s portfolio by acting as a diversifier. In fact, some institutional investors are considering a minimum portfolio allocation to renewables to achieve this stabilising effect.² Meeting ESG goals – Institutional inves- tors are taking a strong interest in the sus- tainability profiles of their investments and report to their policyholders and investors on the development of the rele- vant performance indicators. Renewable energies
are among the investments
attracting increased interest, as they not only help to meet sustainability goals, but also to achieve the zero-emission targets many investors have set.
Investing with the right partner is key The institutional investor looking to add stability to a portfolio by making direct investments in renewable energy assets must understand not only the specific national markets and the technology in which they are investing, but they must also have a bottom-up understanding of what drives the return and cash profile of a potential investment. Successful investing in the industry at such an inflection point requires an active manager that can navigate the many chal- lenges for the future. Implementing Pur- chase Price Agreements (PPA) in the absence of government support mecha-
nisms and investing along the value chain to optimise return potential make this ex- pertise critical. Given the intense compe- tition for good projects, a manager must also possess and maintain a strong net- work to source high quality investment opportunities and have the skills to bring those investments to a close.
Key takeaways – Renewable infrastructure investments have a low correlation to capital markets.
– Renewable energy is the cheapest electricity ever generated at scale.
– The renewable energy sector in Europe is highly resilient in the face of the Covid-19 crisis.
– The renewable sector is in transition to- wards private off-take arrangements.
– The renewable energy sector helps investors achieve their sustainability goals and dis- closure requirements.
To find out more about Renewable Energy and Allianz Global Investors visit our website at
uk.allianzgi.com
1) Gray, M., & Sundaresan., S. (March 2020). How to waste over half a trillion dollars: the economic implications of deflationary renewable energy from coal power investments, pp. 5, 9-10, 18-19. Carbon Tracker Initiative. 2)
Bruno.a@peimedia.com (4 June 2020). Should LPs create a dedicated renewables allocation?, PEI Infrastructure Investor, PEI Media Group Ltd. 11. Hoerter, S. (May 2017). Investing in Sustainability; ESG
Investing involves risk. The value of an investment and the income from it may fall as well as rise and investors might not get back the full amount invested. The views and opinions expressed herein, which are subject to change without notice, are those of the issuer companies at the time of publication. The data used is derived from various sources, and assumed to be correct and reliable, but it has not been independently verified; its accuracy or completeness is not guaranteed and no liability is assumed for any direct or consequential losses arising from its use, unless caused by gross negligence or wilful misconduct. The conditions of any underlying offer or contract that may have been, or will be, made or concluded, shall prevail. This is a marketing communication issued by Allianz Global Investors GmbH,
www.allianzgi.com, an investment company with limited liability, incorporated in Germany, with its registered office at Bockenheimer Landstrasse 42-44, 60323 Frankfurt/M, registered with the local court Frankfurt/M under HRB 9340, authorised by Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (
www.bafin.de). Allianz Global Investors GmbH has established a branch in the United Kingdom, Allianz Global Investors GmbH, UK branch, 199 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 3TY,
www.allianzglobalinvestors.co.uk, deemed authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details of the Temporary Permissions Regime, which allows EEA-based firms to operate in the UK for a limited period while seeking full authorisation, are available on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website (
www.fca.org.uk). Details about the extent of our regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority are available from us on request.
24 | portfolio institutional | February 2021 | issue 100
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