Investment in LED Lighting Portfolio and Business
22 November 2021
SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust plc
("SEEIT" or the "Company")
Investment in a LED Lighting Portfolio and Lighting Solutions Business
SEEIT is pleased to announce that it has invested approximately $21 million in an operational portfolio of LED lighting projects across 42 states in the United States, together with a 50% interest in Future Energy Solutions Lighting Holdings LLLP ("FES"), the business that developed the projects. SEEIT's investment incorporates a shareholder loan, with a priority entitlement to cash flows from the business, ahead of equity distributions, until the loan principal has been repaid.
FES provides energy efficient lighting solutions to enterprises across the US, in exchange for fixed monthly payments, using an innovative Lighting as a Service model. Services include designing, delivering, installing, and maintaining LED lighting for counterparties to save on energy and maintenance costs as part of a long- term partnership with our customers.
FES's operational portfolio consists of over 1,000 customers from a variety of sectors, including schools, hotels, retail outlets, car parks, car dealerships, supermarkets, and casual dining, among others. The customer base consists mostly of small and medium sized enterprises. FES has an established management team, with an extensive pipeline of opportunities in the US supported by a sales force with a strong track record.
The investment aligns well with SEEIT's investment policy, given its strong energy efficiency characteristics, while adding further diversification to SEEIT's portfolio. LED lighting systems typically produce 100,000+ hours of illumination and consume up to 90% less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs, leading to greatly reduced energy expenditures for users. The associated environmental benefits include a significant reduction in CO2 emissions relative to traditional lighting technology, as well as longer lighting life span of the bulbs, leading to lower overall waste. The transaction adds to the Company's existing investments in LED lighting, including Santander UK lighting, Moy Park lighting and projects within Spark US Energy Efficiency. In parallel to this investment, SEEIT has also been granted a right of first refusal to fund a £150 million plus pipeline of European projects with an affiliate of FES through a bilateral negotiation.
The investment is funded from the Company's existing resources and supports SEEIT's guidance on total returns target as well as its stated progressive dividend policy.
Commenting on the investment, Jonathan Maxwell, CEO of Sustainable Development Capital LLP, said: "Switching to LED lighting is one of the simplest and most readily available changes that can be made to reduce CO2 emissions. Lighting accounts for nearly 5% of global CO2 emissions. LED lighting can achieve energy savings of up to 90% in comparison to traditional lighting, benefitting the environment and reducing costs for business. We expect the 'Lighting as a Service' market to grow considerably in the coming years, in both the US and Europe, and this presents a very attractive investment opportunity for SEEIT that meets its yield and returns targets.''
Commenting on the investment, Peter Hawksworth, CEO of Future Energy Solutions, said: "Partnering with SEEIT in the USA and Europe, allows FES to grow across all our areas of expertise and use the Lighting as a Service model to influence and achieve positive change in business sectors, where our customers can make significant and instant savings alongside a reduction in carbon footprint and simplify their operational performance."
For Further Information
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Sustainable Development Capital LLP Jonathan Maxwell Purvi Sapre Eugene Kinghorn Tom Hovanessian
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T: +44 (0) 20 7287 7700
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Jefferies International Limited Tom Yeadon Gaudi le Roux
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T: +44 (0) 20 7029 8000
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TB Cardew Ed Orlebar Joe McGregor |
T: +44 (0) 20 7930 0777 M: +44 (0) 7738 724 630 |
About SEEIT
SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust plc is a constituent of the FTSE 250 index. It was the first UK listed company of its kind to invest exclusively in the energy efficiency sector. Its projects are primarily located in the UK, Europe and North America and include, inter alia, a portfolio of cogeneration assets in Spain, a portfolio of commercial and industrial solar and storage projects in the United States, a regulated gas distribution network in Sweden and a district energy system providing essential and efficient utility services on one of the largest business parks in the United States.
The Company aims to deliver shareholders value through its investment in a diversified portfolio of energy efficiency projects which are driven by the opportunity to deliver lower cost, cleaner and more reliable energy solutions to end users of energy.
The Company is targeting an attractive total return for shareholders of 7-8 per cent. per annum (net of fees and expenses and by reference to the initial issue price of £1.00 per Ordinary Share), with a stable dividend income, capital preservation and the opportunity for capital growth. The Company is targeting a dividend of 5.62p per share in respect of the financial year to 31 March 2022. SEEIT's last published NAV was 102.5p per share as at 31 March 2021.
Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance.
Further information can be found on the Company's website at www.seeitplc.com .
Investment Manager
SEEIT's investment manager is Sustainable Development Capital LLP ("SDCL"), an investment firm established in 2007, with a proven track record of investment in energy efficiency and decentralised generation projects in the UK, Continental Europe, North America and Asia.
SDCL is headquartered in London and also operates worldwide from offices in New York, Dublin, Madrid, Hong Kong and Singapore. SDCL is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Further information can be found on at www.sdclgroup.com .
About Future Energy Solutions
FES is an innovative global green technology company that provides funded and capital purchase lighting solutions for large scale commercial and industrial businesses. The FES service includes surveying, designing, analysing, procuring, project managing, installing, and maintaining new energy efficient lighting systems. Formed in 2009 in the United States, FES has grown into a family of companies around the globe. The UK office opened in April 2013 and has since installed over 300,000 energy efficient luminaries across several client portfolios, with an additional presence in Mainland Europe.
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