Wpd Group Prepares Implementation of The Butendiek Project (Germany)

The wpd group in Bremen is currently preparing the implementation of the offshore wind farm project Butendiek, which will consist of 80 wind turbine generators and will be built 32 km to the west of Sylt in the German North Sea. The project company, Butendiek Offshore Windpark GmbH & Co. KG, has now commissioned KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH and UniCredit Bank AG as Mandated Lead Arranger as well as Bremer Landesbank Kreditanstalt Oldenburg – Girozentrale as Additional Lead Arranger with the structuring of the financing. The three institutes intend to take over a considerable part of the financing themselves. Next to public institutes and an export credit insurer, further commercial banks are to be won over in the next months.

“With KfW IPEX-Bank, UniCredit and BLB, we were able to win over three institutes with experience in offshore financing. With these banks, we have implemented complex financings with confidence and success in the past. Thus, our team is gaining more strong partners for the speedy and secure implementation of this most prominent project”, says Martin Heppe, CFO Offshore of wpd.

wpd

wpd is a worldwide developer and operator of windfarms. In total, the company has carried out projects with around 1,400 turbines and an output of 2.1 GW. Currently wpd is planning projects with 7,000 MW in total. More over, the group is one of Europe’s leading offshore developer with a pipeline of 10,000 MW. Actually wpd is preparing the implementation of the Butendiek project

KfW IPEX-Bank

KfW IPEX-Bank is responsible for international project and export finance within KfW Bankengruppe. Its function of providing financing in support of the German and European economy is derived from the legal mandate of KfW Bankengruppe. The focus of its business lies on the provision of medium and long-term financing to support key industries in the export economy, on the development of economic and social infrastructure and on the financing of environmental and climate protection. It operates as a legally independent group subsidiary and is represented in the most important economic and financial centres around the world.

Bremer Landesbank

With a business volume of approximately 41 billion Euro and more than 1,000 employees in Bremen and Oldenburg, Bremer Landesbank is the leading regional bank in north western Germany. Being a bank in a coastal region, it has been one of the important financing partners of the wind energy sector for twenty years already. Although being at home on the coast, Bremer Landesbank is offering its competence and experience in wind turbine financing not only in the North West, but also throughout Germany and increasingly internationally. At present, the financing portfolio has a volume of 1.7 billion Euro with an installed capacity of approx. 2.6 GW.

About UniCredit Corporate & Investment Banking:

UniCredit is a major international financial institution with strong roots in 22 European countries as well as representative offices in 27 other markets, with about 10,000 branches and approximately 165,000 employees. In the CEE region, UniCredit operates the largest international banking network with around 4,000 branches and outlets.

The project financing has been conducted by the corporate customer and investment banking division, UniCredti Corporate & Investment Banking. This division provides gives companies, from small and medium Corporates to multinationals and institutional clients, access to the largest network of banks in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as to branches in major financial centers worldwide. The successful collaboration between our network’s relationship managers and specialists in our product lines (Financing & Advisory, Markets, Leasing, Global Transaction Banking) enables UniCredit to respond promptly to our clients’ entrepreneurial requirements. Thus, UniCredit supports the growth and internationalization of the Group’s corporate and institutional clients, creating sustainable value for all stakeholders.

[mappress]

Source: wpd  , March 10, 2011