Foresight Solar Fund Limited : Operational asse...
27 January 2014
Trading Update: Operational assets generating ahead of target
The 32MW, 2 ROC Wymeswold plant reports electricity generation performance of 15% above expectation since November
The Company's funds are 100% committed
Grid connection of further capacity imminent
Press Release 27 January 2014 : Foresight Solar Fund Limited ("Foresight Solar Fund" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that Wymeswold, the UK's largest operational solar plant, at 32 MW and sited on a disused WWII airfield in Leicestershire, has been generating power at 15% ahead of expectation for the three months November 2013 - January 2014 (as at 22nd). The fully operational plant, which benefits from 2 ROCs/MWh having been commissioned before April 2013, was acquired by the Company, as expected, shortly after IPO in early November 2013.
Two further plants described in the IPO Prospectus, namely, Castle Eaton (Swindon SPV) and High Penn (Calne SPV), totalling a further 28MW, are expected to be fully operational and grid connected shortly. The Company remains on target to have all IPO proceeds invested in grid connected, operational assets by the end of Q1 2014.
The Company has confirmed its intent to deliver a target dividend of 6p per ordinary share in respect of its first financial year, rising annually with RPI thereafter, and enabling the Company to support its strategy, unique amongst its solar peer group, to sustain the NAV, offering the potential for capital growth.
Jamie Richards, Partner and Head of Infrastructure at Foresight said:
"The Wymeswold asset outperformance is good news. 30% of the IPO proceeds were invested in this fully operational asset shortly after the IPO and the asset was selected because of its potential to outperform. We expect to be able to announce that 50% of the Company's assets will be fully operational shortly, and as described at IPO that 100% of the Company's assets will be fully operational before the end of Q1 2014. We remain on target to deliver the 6p dividend per ordinary share. The promising outlook for the UK solar sector, the quality of the underlying assets and Foresight's track record in the sector, continue to provide investors with an attractive opportunity to secure inflation linked yield and potential for capital growth."
The Company expects to make further announcements shortly
ENDS
For further information
| Ben Thompson Foresight Group | bthompson@foresightgroup.eu | 01732 471 800 |
| Malcolm Robertson/Chris Gardner Citigate Dewe Rogerson | Malcolm.Robertson@citigatedr.co.uk | 0207 282 2867 |
Notes to Editors
Foresight Group is a leading independent infrastructure and private equity investment manager which has been managing investment funds on behalf of institutions and retail clients for almost 30 years. Foresight today manages institutional funds in Infrastructure, Environmental and UK small cap Private Equity.
Foresight has £1 billion assets under management spread across a number of funds, including Listed Vehicles, Limited Partnerships, Enterprise Investment Schemes (EIS) and Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) and has one of the UK's leading Infrastructure investment teams.
Foresight's solar funds have invested in more than £650 million of operating PV assets in the UK, USA, Italy and Spain.
In May 2013 Foresight executed an innovative refinancing of its UK solar assets through the issue of an index-linked Solar Bond, the largest in the UK to date at £60m, listed on the London Stock Exchange, which saw an immediate increase in target returns for investors of 15%.
In October 2013, Foresight successfully listed the £150m Foresight Solar Fund Limited (ticker FSFL) on the main market of the London Stock Exchange, attracting backing from more than 65 institutional investors.
Foresight has offices in the UK; USA and Italy.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Foresight Solar Fund Limited via Globenewswire
Latest directors dealings
- 12 hours ago Savannah Energy
- 13 hours ago Buccaneer Energy PLC
- 13 hours ago Savannah Energy
- 13 hours ago Carclo
- 13 hours ago Schroder Japan Growth Fund