The European Investment Bank and France-based asset manager and investor Eiffel Investment Group have launched the Eiffel Energy Transition, a fund aimed at financing clean energy projects in France and the rest of Europe.

Eiffel Investment Group said that the funds will be used to provide bridge financing to solar, wind, biogas and biomass projects, as well as to energy efficiency and storage projects.

According to the company, bridge financing is crucial for companies operating in the green economy before long-term investments are put in place. “For project developers it is fundamental to free up capital without awaiting long-term credits”, said Eiffel Investment Group in its press release.

BEI contributed €40 million ($43.2 million) to the fund, while Eiffel Investment Group is providing €100 million ($108.0 million). Furthermore, the company said that several unspecified public and private institutional investors are now conducting due diligence, and that the fund is expected to reach €200 million.

Popular content

The credit lines granted by the fund will have a maturity of 6 to 36 months and will be guaranteed by the financed assets. Loans will be repaid once the developer has been awarded a long-term financing contract.

Commenting on the announcement of the fund, President of French solar association Enerplan Daniel Bour said that France’s solar sector will benefit from flexible forms of complementary financing such as those offered by the fund Eiffel Energy Transition. “The solar sector is facing disruptive technology and regulatory issues, and at the same time it has to invest massively to ensure the energy transition of our country and continent”, Bour said.

Eiffel Investment Group currently has assets worth €600 million under management.