• Home
  •  
    Regions
    • Europe
    • UK & Ireland
    • DACH
    • Nordic
    • France
    • Southern Europe
    • Benelux
    • CEE
    • Asia
  •  
    Deals
    • Buyouts
    • Venture
    • Exits
    • Refinancings
    • Build-up
    • Turnaround
    • Secondaries
    • Advanced deals search
  •  
    Funds
    • Buyout
    • Venture
    • Mezzanine
    • Debt
    • Funds-of-funds
    • Secondaries
    • Fundraising pipelines
    • Advanced funds search
  •  
    GPs & LPs
    • GP profiles
    • LP profiles
    • GP news
    • LP news
    • Sponsors search
    • LPs search
  •  
    Secondaries
    • Deals
    • Funds
    • News
    • Analysis
  •  
    People
    • People moves
    • Analysis
    • In Profile
    • Q&A
    • Videos
    • Comment
  •  
    Analysis
    • In Profile
    • Fundraising
    • Q&A
    • Comment
    • Videos
    • Podcast
    • Reports
    • Data Snapshots
  •  
    Unquote Data
    • Deals search
    • Exits search
    • Funds search
    • Sponsors search
    • Advisers search
    • LPs search
    • League tables
    • Reports
  • Sign in
  • Sign in
    • You are currently accessing unquote.com via your Enterprise account.

      If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

      If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

      Phone: +44 (0)203 741 1137

      Email: Georgina.Lawson@acuris.com

      • Sign in
     
      • Newsletters
      • Account details
      • Contact support
      • Sign out
     
  • Follow us
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
  • Free Trial
  • Subscribe
Unquote
Unquote
  • Home
  • Regions
  • Deals
  • Funds
  • GPs & LPs
  • Secondaries
  • People
  • Analysis
  • Unquote Data
  • You are currently accessing unquote.com via your Enterprise account.

    If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

    If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

    Phone: +44 (0)203 741 1137

    Email: Georgina.Lawson@acuris.com

    • Sign in
 
    • Newsletters
    • Account details
    • Contact support
    • Sign out
 
Unquote
  • Investments

The UK's Green Investment Bank - not yet a done deal

  • Francinia Protti-Alvarez
  • 29 March 2010
  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Google plus  
  • Send to  

A week ago, the UK government announced the pre-election budget plans for 2010, which included the idea of a Green Investment Bank (GIB). But despite these positive intentions and the backing of private investors, it is far from a done deal; even if it does get off the ground it would probably not become a reality for a year or two, writes Francinia Protti-Alvarez.

The private sector, which has been wary of a government-backed green investment bank, supported the idea and the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association’s (BVCA) Energy, Environment and Technology Board (EETB) even issued a report outlining the considerations that the creation of a GIB would require.

“If properly established, the GIB could fill the funding gap - in particular with relation to smaller green infrastructure projects which have suffered at the expense of larger (green) infrastructure projects,” observed Simon Walker, partner and head of venture capital at law firm Taylor Wessing.

On the face of it, the plan for a GIB has cross-party support  (it was the Conservatives who first mooted the possibility of such an entity back in November 2009) and it will remain on the agenda irrespective of the outcome of this year’s general election.  Or will it? Cross-party support is one thing, but taking a project like this from concept to reality is an entirely different matter, and one which will face a whole range of obstacles, from funding to policy implementation.

Conceptually, the GIB is to be funded from a £1bn Green Infrastructure Fund –also announced by the government – which would be matched with another £1bn of private sector capital.

According to Walker: “The GIB would initially be funded through the sale of some of its infrastructure assets such as the Channel Tunnel, but in the current market, assets are unlikely to fetch ‘top dollar’. Therein lies the dilemma: the government can decide to sell at a loss to fund the GIB or it can wait until it can get better prices, but then risks failing to meet 2020 targets.” 

And the obstacles go beyond the funding. Even if the GIB were to get off the ground there are fundamental doubts about whether the UK is a good place to invest in green infrastructure. “Right now some investors are holding back as they believe that in comparison to other European markets, UK regulation needs to be more coherent. There is a perceived lack of certainty and coordination between the various government and non-governmental players both at the policy making and implementation,” says Dominic FitzPatrick, partner and head of projects at Taylor Wessing.

Of course, it remains entirely possible that further cuts will be made in the post-election budget, effectively leaving the initiative dead in the water. In the meantime, the clock is ticking; 2020 is only a decade away.

  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Google plus  
  • Send to  
  • Topics
  • Investments
  • Regulation
  • Infrastructure
  • BVCA

More on Investments

EMEA Public to Private M&A
Change of mind: Sponsors take to de-listing their own assets

EQT and Cinven seen as bellweather for funds to reassess options for listed assets trading underwater

  • Investments
  • 04 September 2023
Jan Cerny of BHM Group
BHM Group builds on PE strategy, eyes European medtech and renewable energy acquisitions

Czech Republic-headquartered family office is targeting DACH and CEE region deals

  • Investments
  • 01 September 2023
Reima Linnanvirta of Trind VC
Trind VC plans up to five early-stage investments in next six months

VC has deployed around 10% of its second, EUR 55m fund and plans to invest in up to 40 startups

  • Venture
  • 31 August 2023
Guillaume Fournier of Credo Ventures
Credo Ventures sees activity uptick, plans further deals in 2023 with EUR 75m fourth fund

Czech VC firm's latest vehicle is around 50% deployed and expects to make 25-30 deals in total

  • Venture
  • 23 August 2023

Latest News

Fund closes in US dollars
  • Funds
Stonehage Fleming raises USD 130m for largest fund to date, eyes 2024 programme

Multi-family office has seen strong appetite, with investor base growing since 2016 to more than 90 family offices, Meiping Yap told Unquote

  • 05 September 2023
Clinical trials and biotechnology
  • Buyouts
Permira to take Ergomed private for GBP 703m

Sponsor deploys Permira VIII to ride new wave of take-privates; Blackstone commits GBP 200m in financing for UK-based CRO

  • 04 September 2023
Public sector software
  • Exits
Partners Group to release IMs for Civica sale in mid-September

Sponsor acquired the public software group in July 2017 via the same-year vintage Partners Group Global Value 2017

  • 04 September 2023
EMEA Public to Private M&A
  • Investments
Change of mind: Sponsors take to de-listing their own assets

EQT and Cinven seen as bellweather for funds to reassess options for listed assets trading underwater

  • 04 September 2023
Back to Top
  • About Unquote
  • Advertise
  • Contacts
  • About Acuris
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Group Disclaimer
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

© Merger Market

© Mergermarket Limited, 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1BE - Company registration number 03879547

Digital publisher of the year 2010 & 2013

Digital publisher of the year 2010 & 2013