Actis will reportedly put in a final offer for Egypt’s Gabal El Zeit within days

Good morning, nice people. The news cycle has picked up as the week comes to a close, with big news from Egypt and KSA’s Acwa Power. Let’s jump right in.

THE BIG CLIMATE STORY- UK private equity giant Actis is expected to submit a binding offer to acquire the state-owned 580 MW Gabal El Zeit wind farm within “the coming days” after wrapping up its due diligence, a source at the Electricity Ministry told Enterprise.

^^ We have the details on this story and more in the news well, below.

THE BIG CLIMATE STORY OUTSIDE THE REGION- Greta charged with public order offense in London: Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has been charged with a public order offense for obstructing the entrance to the Energy Intelligence Forum – formerly known as Oil and Money conference — on Monday and failing to comply with UK police’s section 14 order, which was meant to avert “serious disruption to the community, hotel and guests.” London’s metropolitan police claim they asked the demonstrators to stop blocking the road leading to the hotel and hold their protest on the pavement, but Thunberg along with 26 other protesters failed to do so. Thunberg has been released on bail with a trial set for 15 November.

The story made headlines in the international press yesterday: Washington Post | Reuters France 24 | BBC | Bloomberg | The Guardian | Euronews

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OVER IN COPLAND- The EU Council has approved its stance on climate finance ahead of COP28, according to a statement summarizing the outcome (pdf) of the proceedings. The Council underlines its strong commitment to delivering on climate finance, including helping mobilize the overdue USD 100 bn per year in climate finance this year. It also calls upon private actors to align their financial flows with the goals of the Paris Agreement, and urges partners from all regions in a position to do so to expand their support, recognising the need for a wide variety of sources to close the identified priority gaps in the existing funding landscape. The Council is inviting multilateral development banks, development banks, and other development finance institutions and export credit agencies to phase out financing of fossil fuel energy sector projects “as soon as possible” and additionally requests that the European Commission provide an overview of international climate finance flows from the EU for the year 2022, including from its member countries and the European Investment Bank.

ALSO- COP28 releases climate and health declaration: The UAE’s COP28 presidency is calling on governments worldwide to endorse the summit's Declaration on Climate and Health launched yesterday on the sidelines of the World Health Summit in Berlin, Wam reports. The declaration — developed in partnership with the World Health Organization — covers a range of areas including “cross-sector collaboration on climate and health, reducing emissions within the health sector, and increasing the amount and proportion of climate financing devoted to health,” the news outlet says. Kenya, Fiji, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Malawi were announced as “early endorsers” of the Declaration. COP28 will be the first COP to dedicate a day to health.

AND COMING SOON- RVCMC will host a conference on carbon market developments ahead of the summit: The PIF-backed Regional Voluntary Carbon Market Company (RVCMC) will host a conference on carbon market developments in the Global South to discuss and agree on a list of actions ahead of the COP28, according to a statement. The conference will be held in Riyadh next week on 26 October as part of the Future Investment Initiative summit and will host discussions on the sovereignty of carbon credits in the Global South, how carbon markets can stimulate climate action, regulatory mechanisms that can mitigate risk and support the scaling of global carbon markets, and the role of Islamic Finance in developing global carbon markets.

RVCMC is getting busy: RCVMC — established by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund and the Saudi Tadawul Group with SAR 500 mn of capital — plans to launch its carbon trading exchange in the second half of next year. The platform is “going to be a spot market to help price discovery by 2024,” and will have “over-the-counter trading and a marketplace for suppliers to sell their own products,” CEO Riham ElGizy said earlier this week. The regional voluntary carbon credits market (VCM) could see CO2 trading of 100-150 mn tons by the end of the decade, ElGizy added. Earlier in June, RVCMC sold 2 mn tons of carbon credits in what the company described as the largest-ever voluntary carbon credit auction.

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WATCH THIS SPACE #1- Shell is changing up its net zero approach: Oil and gas giant Shell’s CEO Wael Sawan says his company remains committed to zero emissions by 2050, but will change its approach to achieving its planned carbon neutrality to go in line with its “ruthless” focus on performance, Bloomberg writes, referencing statements made by Sawan at the Energy Intelligence Forum. Shell has made “tough choices” on which renewables projects the company would fund as part of the new approach, without specifying the changes and the clean energy projects the company is currently eying, Sawan said. “For avoidance of doubt, what hasn’t changed is the destination that we have set for ourselves. What has changed is the pathway we’re going to get there,” Sawan said, adding that response from his shareholders on this strategy has so far been “very, very positive.” Shell has shelved plans to slash oil production each year, saying it would keep oil output steady until 2030, with plans to extend its advantaged position upstream to achieve cashflow longevity by stabilizing liquids production to 2030.

REMEMBER- Shell plans to invest USD 10-15 bn until 2025 to support the development of low-carbon energy solutions. The company said these solutions include biofuels, hydrogen, electric vehicle charging, and carbon capture storage. The company said it is committed to achieving near-zero methane emissions by 2030 and ending routine flaring from its upstream operations by 2025.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Saudi Arabia will host the Future Investment Initiative from Tuesday, 24 October to Thursday, 26 October in Riyadh. The three-day event will bring together state leaders, policymakers, executives, academics, NGOs, entrepreneurs, and scientists to host panels on how to scale green technologies, mining, AI’s role in the energy revolution, and how geoeconomics will impact critical minerals, the program (pdf) outlines.

Cairo Water Week is taking place from Sunday, 29 October to Thursday, 2 November. This year’s event will focus on global green developments in the water sector with sessions discussing the development of scientific solutions, practical tools, policies, and concrete measures to overcome today’s water challenges. The five-day event is organized by Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, in partnership with the EU and FAO.

The UAE will host the Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Summit from Wednesday, 1 November to Saturday, 3 November in Abu Dhabi. The summit will gather international leaders in sustainability, technology, finance, and policy to drive green strategies globally. The agenda includes sessions on climate-smart cities, green mobility, sustainable finance, and sustainable tourism. The summit is expected to set the tone for international and regional dialogue and decision-making, including COP28 which will kick off in late November.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

Is an final offer for Egypt’s Gabal El Zeit imminent? UK private equity giant Actis is expected to submit a binding offer to acquire the state-owned 580 MW Gabal El Zeit wind farm within “the coming days” after wrapping up its due diligence, a source at the Electricity Ministry told Enterprise. Actis’ offer values the wind farm at some USD 300 mn but the government is looking to push that figure to somewhere between USD 350-400 mn, the source said. Egypt is looking to finalize the purchase no later than November.

Last we heard… : Egypt had received five offers from investors interested in buying the country’s 580 MW Gabal El Zeit wind farm, Egyptian Planning Minister Hala El Said said in September. The government had granted an unnamed “international investor” two months to take a decision on whether to go ahead with the purchase, El Said said, adding that she expected the sale to be wrapped up by October or November.

REMEMBER- Egypt is selling off shares in the state-owned 580 MW Gabal El Zeit wind farm along with the state-owned 545 MW Zafarana wind farm, which are on the list of more than 30 companies and assets earmarked for privatization by the government. The sale comes under an ambitious plan by the government to bring in USD 5 bn in investment through the privatization of state-owned companies and assets. A leaked state ownership policy document to the press in August said that a joint committee between the Sovereign Fund of Egypt (SFE) and the country’s Electricity Ministry is negotiating the transaction with potential investors within specific parameters, including a tariff fee of USD 0.24 per kilowatt per hour (kWh), with 25% of it paid in EGP. The document said it expects the agreement to be finalized in October this year.

Acwa Power makes a splash at the Belt and Road Initiative: Tadawul-listed renewables giant Acwa Power has signed seven cooperation agreements in solar, green hydrogen, and water desalination projects with Chinese firms during the third Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, according to a company statement. The agreements were signed with one of China’s largest power generators the State Power Investment Corporation, the Bank of China, civil engineering firm Power China Group, power and infrastructure solutions firm Energy China Group, and solar panel manufacturer Jinko Solar, among others. No further details were provided regarding the generation or production capacities, financial details or timelines of the projects.

Acwa’s history with China is a long one: Acwa Power has had an operating office in Beijing since 2009, facilitating Chinese investments worth a total of USD 10 bn in the Saudi firm’s projects worldwide. Chinese EPC contractors, material suppliers, and financiers have participated in 47 projects and signed contracts worth more than USD 30 bn with Acwa Power, including landmark renewable, green hydrogen, and seawater desalination projects.

It’s been a hell of a year for Acwa Power: The past 12 months have seen Acwa Power achieve financial close across 10 key projects in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Uzbekistan with a total value of USD 14 bn, the largest in the company’s history, according to a press release. Acwa Power was able to lock-in USD 8.5 bn funding for the massive Neom Green Hydrogen project, USD 2.2 bn for the Al Shuaibah 1 and Al Shuaibah 2 solar projects; USD 123 mn for the 200 MW Kom Ombo solar project in Egypt; a USD 501 mn syndicated loan for Egypt’s Ras Ghareb wind farm; USD 120 mn for the 100 MW Karatau wind farm in Uzbekistan; USD 658 mn for the 500 MW Dzhankeldy wind farm in Uzbekistan and the USD 690 mn 500 MW Bash wind plant also in Uzbekistan. The two desalination projects that received financing this year were the USD 821 mn Shuaibah 3 project and the USD 678 mn Rabigh 4 project, for which Acwa Power signed financing and security agreements, but is yet to reach financial close.

IN OTHER ACWA NEWS- Acwa signs roadmap agreement to develop a wind farm in Azerbaijan: Acwa Power and the Azerbaijan Renewables Energy Agency has inked the roadmap agreement to develop an 200 MW onshore wind farm accompanied with battery energy and storage facilities, according to a statement. The financials and an expected timeline have not been disclosed. Last February, the company signed a cooperation agreement with Azerbaijan that will see the company set up a 1.5 GW offshore wind energy project as part of a plan to build wind farms with a combined capacity of 2.5 GW and develop the country’s first battery storage systems. Earlier in 2022, Acwa broke ground on another 240 MW in Azerbaijan with a reported investment ticket of USD 300 mn.

Emirates inks SAF supply agreement: The UAE’s national carrier Emirates has signed an offtake agreement with Finnish oil refining firm Neste for 3 mn gallons of blended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to fuel upcoming flights from Amsterdam’s Schiphol and Singapore’s Changi airports, according to a statement.

More details: The agreement — which Emirates says is the largest ever of its kind by a MENA and Africa-based airline — will see the carrier source the SAF from Neste over two phases in 2024 and 2025. This is in line with the EU’s binding requirement to have suppliers in its jurisdiction ensure that 2% of the fuel accessible at EU airports is SAF by 2025, rising to 6% in 2030, 20% in 2035, and 70% in 2050. The blended SAF will be made up of 1 mn gallons of neat SAF produced from biomass materials. SAFs produce 80% less carbon emissions compared to conventional jet fuels, the statement notes.

Not Emirates’ first collaboration with Neste: Emirates completed MENA’s first SAF-powered demonstration flight using 100% SAF sourced from Neste back in January. The flight departed from Dubai International Airport and lasted over an hour, paving the way for SAF certification as a viable green fuel for air traffic. Current certification standards only allow for a 50-50 blend of SAFs and conventional fuel. The flight came a week after the airline successfully completed ground engine testing.

Not Emirate’s first SAF supply agreement this month: Earlier in October, Emirates signed an agreement with Shell Aviation for a 300k gallon supply of SAF for use at its hub in Dubai International Airport. The agreement will see the first SAF delivery taking place before year’s end, marking the first time SAF will be supplied via the airport’s fuelling system.

UAE's Multiply eyes stake in Turkey's Biotrend: Abu Dhabi's investment holding company Multiply Group is in discussions to acquire an undisclosed stake in Turkish waste management and renewables firm Biotrend, Bloomberg reports, citing people with knowledge of the matter. The size and value of the acquisition are still under discussion, the sources say.

What does Biotrend do? Biotrend — a subsidiary of Turkish investment firm Doğanlar Holding — focuses on investing in solid waste management, power generation, cogen heat use, and carbon certification and trading across 19 facilities in Turkey, including 11 waste management and biomass power plants.

Multiply has a green M&A track record: The firm also acquired a majority stake in International Holding Company's (IHC) subsidiary International Energy Holding Company last year. In 2021, the company acquired a 100% of Pal Cooling Holding, a UAE-based district cooling solutions provider. In March of 2022, the conglomerate invested nearly USD 100 mn in the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) IPO. Six months later, the conglomerate acquired a 7.3% stake in the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) for USD 2.7 bn.

Other regional players are eyeing Turkey: The UAE’s state-owned renewables firm Masdar also started talks to acquire a stake in Turkey's wind power producer Fiba Yenilenebilir Enerji last month.

UAE 💚 Turkey: The spike in investments comes after the UAE and Turkey signed agreements in July valued at USD 51 bn in a bid by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to attract investment from gulf countries.

About Multiply: Multiply Group is an Abu Dhabi-based investment holding company, IHC being its major stakeholder, that invests in and operates various global businesses with a focus on the energy and utilities industries.

Engie appoints new regional managing director: Global energy conglomerate Engie has appointed Tomaz Guadagnin (LinkedIn) as Managing Director for Flexible Generation and Retail in AMEA and country head for the GCC and Pakistan at Engie, according to a statement. Guadagnin will help Engie strengthen its position as a low-carbon energy leader, the statement notes. He brings his experience in managing assets, operations and maintenance of Engie's power and desalination sectors in Bahrain, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar.

AGRITECH-

UAE Veggitech seeks funding for expansion plans: UAE-based agritech company Veggitech is considering expanding its hydroponic farming operations into Jeddah, where its majority shareholder Snasco Holding is headquartered, company CFO Rami Nairat told Zawya Projects in an interview. “We are in the study phase and are looking at investments between AED 15 to 20 mn (USD 4 to 5.5 mn) through equity investors, banks or alternative sources of funding,” Nairat said. Veggitech is planning to acquire one farm a year, he added.

Veggitech isn’t forgetting its home base: The company is also in discussions with the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and a leading bank to get funding for a pilot project to implement its new Build-Operate-Transfer model, according to Zawya.

About Veggitech: Veggitech has worked in tech and food processing for two decades, and has designed and manufactured a sophisticated light assisted hydroponics system with a patented growth light which speeds up harvesting time by 3 fold. Snasco Holding’s acquisition of Sharjah-based Veggitech in 2021 marked the Saudi investment company’s first venture into the agritech sector outside the kingdom, Zawya writes. The company has built five hydroponic farms — over 360k sqm — in the last 3 years, ahead of its initially planned timeline of 6 years, according to Nairat, who added that Veggitech’s sales have grown 200% y-o-y.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES-

Lucid Group’s shares drop 5% on news of weak EV deliveries for 3Q: Public Investment Fund-backed EV maker Lucid has delivered a total of 1.45k EVs of its Air sedan model in 3Q 2023 not meeting the projected sales for the quarter and causing a 5% drop in shares earlier in the week on Tuesday’s market close, CNBC writes. The 3Q figures, while representing an increase from the 1.4k deliveries in 2Q and 3Q 2022, are down from projected sales of 2k cars for the period, the news outlet notes, citing an analyst poll by FactSet. Lucid’s shares have dropped almost 23% from the beginning of 2023 on the back of low demand for its Air models. The company is expected to share its earnings report after US markets close on 7 November.

Lucid has been taking heavy losses: Lucid — which last month inaugurated its first overseas production facility in Jeddah’s King Abdullah Economic City — saw its net losses increase by 71.2% y-o-y in 2Q 2023 y-o-y to USD 766.6 mn. This came despite the company’s revenues increasing by 35.5% y-o-y in 2Q to USD 150.9 mn. PIF owns a 60.5% stake in the EV company, and has committed to buying at least 50k EVs from the automaker over the coming decade, with an option of doubling the volume. The company aims to manufacture over 10k vehicles in 2023.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

• Khazna to power data centers with biofuels: The UAE's Khazna Data Centers will start powering its centers with biofuels by the end of the year as part of the company's sustainability plan. The first stage of the project will include blending biofuels with traditional ones, monitoring their performance, and then implementing biofuel usage across all its data centers. (Zawya)
• KISR explores EV sustainability: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) is in discussions with the Union of Automobile Agents to sustain electric car projects in hot climates. The two parties will consider launching a new project to monitor the performance of four-wheel drive EVs powered by solar-powered charging ports. (Kuwait News Agency)
• UM6P and Abdul Latif Jameel form agricultural lab: The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) partners with University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) to form the UM6P-J-PAL agricultural lab for Africa in Morocco. The lab will develop and implement an impact evaluation of policies to improve food security in the region. (Trade Arabia)

ADU launches first portable aeroponics farm: Abu Dhabi University (ADU) has launched its first on-campus AirFarm — a lightweight inflatable and portable aeroponic farm — in partnership with South Korean smart ag-tech company Midbar and UAE’s Rashed bin Khalfan Al Mutawa Dhaheri Holding Company (RBK), according to a statement. The newly installed AirFarm will be used as an educational facility for students to learn about sustainable solutions aimed at overcoming climate-driven food security challenges, as well as providing tools and resources to explore new green innovations. The project is part of ADU’s Innovate Strategy initiative which aims to accelerate sustainable and innovative agricultural solutions.

How does it work: The AirFarm uses Internet of Things (IoT) based aeroponics and water harvesting technology to grow crops with minimal water use, according to Midbar’s website. It can be packaged and installed in any building, outdoor space, rooftop, basement, or even deserts within only 2 hours. Its inflatable feature allows 20 farms to be shipped in one container whereas typical smartfarms can fit only one. The farm can grow lettuce, basil, herb, medical hemp, and root crops, and is highly durable with an ability to operate 30 years without damage. The partnership between ADU and Midbar also plans to launch an outdoor version that can work under the UAE's climate conditions, the National writes.

SOUND SMART- What the heck are aeroponics? Aeroponics is a plant-cultivation technique that does not use soil or any other growing medium, but instead leaves the roots to dangle in the air, where they are periodically puffed by specially-designed misting devices, Modern Farmer explains. “In aeroponics systems, seeds are “planted” in pieces of foam stuffed into tiny pots, which are exposed to light on one end and nutrient mist on the other,” Modern Farmer adds. The foam holds the stem and root mass in place as the plants grow. Aeroponics can grow crops 1.5x faster than hydroponic methods which use water or alternative soil as the growing medium, Midbar says.

AirFarms can unlock major environmental gains: The farm uses 97% less water than conventional methods, is 20% less carbon intensive than container farms during transport, can reduce water operating load by up to 90% compared to existing smart farms, and reduces logistics costs by 95%, according to Midbar’s website.