Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP)
Source: Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) |

Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) provides USD 50m credit facility to SirajPower for solar energy projects in the Middle East

The transaction represents the largest lease-funding platform for distributed solar energy in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

Through innovative financing solutions to our partners and direct investments, APICORP plays a vital role in bringing world-class energy technologies to the region

DAMMAM, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, July 20, 2020/APO Group/ --

Financing facility to SirajPower is in line with APICORP’s (www.APICORP.org) strategic drive to support energy diversification and access to sustainable power in MENA region; This represents the largest lease-funding platform for distributed solar energy in the GCC.

The Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP), a multilateral development financial institution, today announced a USD50 million credit facility for SirajPower, the UAE's leading distributed solar energy provider, to expand its portfolio of distributed solar energy projects across the Middle East. The transaction represents the largest lease-funding platform for distributed solar energy in the GCC.

This is a continued realization of APICORP’s vision and strategy to focus on renewables and support the region’s transition towards a sustainable energy future, committing around USD450 million of capital towards renewable projects in the past four years.

The transaction will enable SirajPower to deploy its rooftop solar PV turnkey solutions across various industries, allowing the private sector to save on their utility bills while simultaneously offsetting their carbon footprint through an innovative structure to finance an entire portfolio of distributed solar projects on a long-term basis.

Dr Ahmed Ali Attiga, CEO of APICORP said: “Through innovative financing solutions to our partners and direct investments, APICORP plays a vital role in bringing world-class energy technologies to the region. We have witnessed a strong appetite for solar projects as a sustainable source of renewable energy by both the government and private sector in the UAE and MENA region in general.”

“SirajPower’s business model is promising of more innovations to come in the energy efficiency sector and we look forward to being part of its future success. As the trusted financial partner to the energy sector, the partnership with SirajPower demonstrates APICORP’s commitment to being a leading catalyst for sustainable development in the region,” Dr. Attiga added.

Mohammed Abdulghaffar Hussain, Chairman of SirajPower and Creek Capital, said: “We established SirajPower to act as a platform for renewable energy investments and provide stable and attractive long-term returns whilst simultaneously supporting the UAE and the wider region’s sustainable development goals. The market is full of potential, and we are gearing up to the next phase of a promising and rapid development across the wider Middle East region. Our partnership with APICORP is a testament not only to the bank’s innovative approach to financing but also to their keen desire to play a key role in the region’s burgeoning green economy.”

APICORP has increased its financing and equity investments in the renewables sector over the past few years. The company’s first renewables financing deal came in 2017 where it provided a commitment of USD110 million to Shuaa Energy II to build 800-megawatt solar PV’s at Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. This was followed by a strategic five-year Murabaha financing facility worth USD75 million with Saudi Arabia-based Alfanar Company to support its renewable energy projects globally. More recently, APICORP provided a USD40 million financing facility to Saudi Arabia’s first independent sewage treatment plant (ISTP) to bring more cost-effective technologies to effectively recycle waste water.

On the equity side, APICORP invested in UAE-based Yellow Door Energy (YDE) along with a consortium of international and regional banks to enable YDE to scale investments in solar energy and efficiency solutions in emerging markets and generate 300 megawatts of solar energy over the next two years. And in 2020, APICORP took a 20% equity stake in the Jordan Wind Project Company to support Jordan’s demand for sustainable power by utilizing its substantial wind resources.

According to APICORP’s recently issued MENA Energy Investment Outlook 2020-2024, the MENA region will need to invest around USD144 billion in the power sector to meet growing energy needs.

Squire Patton Boggs (MEA) LLP acted as APICORP’s legal advisor on this deal, kiloWattsol SAS acted as the technical advisor and INDECS Consulting Ltd. acted as the insurance advisor. Watson Farley & Williams (Middle East) LLP acted as SirajPower’s legal advisor.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/2Wx1UfJ

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP).

Media Contact:
Hassan Al-Jundi
APICORP
Mobile: +966 55 8012942
Email: haljundi@apicorp.org

Zeeshan Masud
Weber Shandwick
Mobile: +971 55 918 6751
Email: zmasud@webershandwick.com

Daniel Chinoy
Weber Shandwick
Mobile: +971 50 255 3402
Email: dchinoy@webershandwick.com

SirajPower
mohaned@tohpr.com

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About APICORP:
The Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP) (www.APICORP.org) is a multilateral development financial institution established in 1975 by an international treaty between the ten Arab oil exporting countries. It aims to support and foster the development of the Arab world’s energy sector and petroleum industries. APICORP makes equity investments and provides project finance, trade finance, advisory and research. APICORP is rated ‘Aa2’ with stable outlook by Moody’s and ‘AA’ with a stable outlook by Fitch. APICORP’s headquarters is in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

About SirajPower:
SirajPower (www.SirajPower.com) is a UAE-based company that offers innovative solar solutions to commercial, industrial and residential clients across the region. SirajPower provides comprehensive turnkey solutions combining development, financing, construction, and operation of solar rooftops and carports.

SirajPower uses the best solar technology available to allow customers to maximize savings, gain energy independence, and meet their sustainability goals. SirajPower is the only locally owned company in Dubai that is licensed and certified to offer under the same umbrella both Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC), O&M, and financing solutions. The company currently operates the largest distributed solar energy portfolio in the UAE with more than 50 MWp of installed capacity.

For more information on SirajPower, please visit: www.SirajPower.com