> US utility ConEd are in the process of placing $220m of senior secured fixed-rate notes, similar to covered bonds, in the 4(2) Private Placement market. Proceeds refinance 110MW of US solar projects. Citi is the lead agent on the deal; Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Key Bank and Mizuho are co-placement agents.
Climate Bonds Blog
An Indonesian energy company, which operates one of the largest geothermal plants in Indonesia, announced today that it has raised $350m from selling 7 year dollar-denominated bonds at an interest rate of 6.125%. The bond was apparently 11 times oversubscribed! Amazing.
Proceeds will go to developing independent power producer Star Energy's Wayang Windu geothermal plant in West Java, one of the largest geothermal power plants in Indonesia.
The 2013 Environmental Bonds Conference is being held in London on 25 April – and you can get a 25% discount here. The Conference organisers at Environmental Finance Magazine are offering readers of this blog 25% discount on registration fees.
You get a good line-up of blue-chip speakers, including Citi’s Michael Eckhart, Allianz’s Karsten Loeffler, EIB’s Jonathan Taylor & Chris Knowles, KfW’s Jochen Harnisch, Credit Agricole’s Tanguy Claquin and of course me, Sean Kidney.
We’re beginning to see some friendly competition emerging among US States around Green Banks. New York Governor Cuomo a few weeks ago announced the setting up of a new Green Bank.
(Apologies for the double post. This is the correct one)
1. The total size of the global debt securities market is (drum roll): $78 trillion … not the previously reported $100 trillion
If you’re thinking that figure looks odd, you’re right, this is some $20 trillion less than last reported – but it’s just change in counting methodology, not some sort of calamitous drop in the bond market.
Brookfield Renewable Energy last Friday issued that C$450m, 17 year, BBB bond for its 166 MW Comber Wind farm in Essex County, Ontario that we foreshadowed recently. The bond was, according to Brookfield, Canada's "first broadly marketed and rated wind bond".
As reported yesterday, the Export-Import Bank of Korea (Kexim) has issued its first “green” or climate friendly bond - $500m in size, 5 year tenor, coupon 1.75%. This is the first benchmark-sized bond marketed as a green bond outside the multi-lateral development banks. A big step forward and a big contribution from Korea, the standard-bearer of Green Growth Government.
Demand was strong: they had $1.8bn of orders from 100 investors for their $500m; which means, other potential issuers take note, they left some hungry investors out there.
Books have just opened. Joint lead managers are SEB and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.
This will mark the first climate bond out of Korea, coming out at a solid size and rating. The Korean Import-Export Bank has an AA3/A+ investment grade rating. We understand the bond is benchmark size (USD$500 million or larger) but we won't have details about actual issuance or pricing until books close.
> Canada's BMO Capital is, according to this story, predicting C$772-million of renewable energy project finance bonds from the country in 2013. For example, expect to see a new 17yr wind bond from Brookfield / Comber Wind. DBRS have already rated it BBB.
> IFC $1bn Green Bond snippets:
1. Within an hour of opening, books were oversubscribed; the deal closed 3 hours later, by now heavily oversubscribed.
2. There were 56 buyers:
- Asset Managers 30%
- Corporates 17%
- Official Institutions 16%