‘World’s largest green energy fund’ sets sights on US$16bn investment pot

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Image: Getty.

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) is now fundraising for what it says is the “world’s largest green energy fund”, a scheme meant to pour billions into renewables across developed economies.

On Tuesday, the Danish fund manager said it is gathering commitments for a vehicle – Copenhagen Infrastructure IV (CI IV) – targeting global plays in contracted offshore wind, onshore wind, solar PV, transmission infrastructure, storage, waste-to-energy and biomass.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

As of 15 June 2020, the fourth fund of the CI series has already raised €1.5 billion (US$1.7 billion) from a pool of institutional investors, including pension plans from Denmark (PensionDanmark and AP Pension) and Norway (KLP).

Fundraising for CI IV will now continue towards a €5-7 billion goalpost (US$5.6-7.9 billion), with talks ongoing with potential contributors in Europe, America, Asia, Australia and Israel. Together with CIP’s own commitments, the fund's final pot could reach €10-14 billion (US$11-15.8 billion).

Approached by PV Tech, CIP had not spelled out by the time this article was published – how much of the €10-14 billion total might be earmarked for solar projects. In its prepared statement, the Danish group explained CI IV will generally focus on greenfield renewable developments.

The green energy fund will target what CIP described as “low risk” OECD states in Western Europe, North America, Australia and developed Asian countries. Together with earlier funds, CI IV will sponsor enough renewables to power 5-6 million homes worldwide, according to the firm.

‘Favourable’ timing to launch largest green energy fund

CIP’s pledge to devote €10-14 billion to the global energy transition emerges as the renewables industry contends with disruption from COVID-19.  

The sector, gearing up pre-pandemic for a strong 2020, has had to grapple instead with a reality of supply chain bottlenecks, construction freezes and financing setbacks. The current talk is of a short-term hit from the wider economic recession, followed by a rebound in late 2020 and beyond.

According to CIP managing partner Jakob Baruël Poulsen, the present timing is “favourable” for funds targeting greenfield renewables. He underscored the “significant visibility” of CI IV’s current investment pipeline, as well as its “high degree of execution certainty”.

Bo Normann Rasmussen, CEO of AP Pension, hailed the pension fund’s chance to contribute €335 million (US$379 million) towards CI IV. “We are proud to be part of the world’s largest renewable energy infrastructure fund,” he remarked.

The ramping up of private capital for renewables comes as bodies including the UN and the International Energy Agency (IEA) urge governments to follow suit, amid calls to support green energy even as the COVID-19 emergency squeezes public budgets.

In parallel, research has sought to make an economic case of renewables as a recovery pillar. Studies have documented the slump over the past decade of technology costs, particularly solar’s, and the potential of renewable portfolios to produce higher investment returns.

21 October 2025
New York, USA
Returning for its 12th edition, Solar and Storage Finance USA Summit remains the annual event where decision-makers at the forefront of solar and storage projects across the United States and capital converge. Featuring the most active solar and storage transactors, join us for a packed two-days of deal-making, learning and networking.

Read Next

July 18, 2025
Georgia Power’s 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) will see the utility aim to install 4GW of new renewable power capacity by 2035.
July 18, 2025
Decisions and actions related to the US Department of Interior (DoI) will ‘undergo elevated review’ of solar PV and wind facilities.
July 17, 2025
Corporate funding in the solar sector fell by 39% in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period last year.
July 17, 2025
Swedish solar developer OX2 has submitted plans for a 150MW solar-plus-storage project in Queensland to Australia’s EPBC Act.
July 17, 2025
Pilecom, a mechanical installer of utility-scale solar projects, has officially started work on European Energy’s 106MW Lancaster solar PV power plant in Victoria, Australia.
July 16, 2025
Supply-demand imbalances and inventory pressures have driven down prices and negatively impacted the operational performance of several listed Chinese PV companies that released their 2025 interim forecasts this week.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK