CEPAC ACTION POUR LE CLIMAT FL

Promoter – Financial Intermediary

CAISSE D'EPARGNE CEPAC

Location

• France

Description

The project consists of a framework loan (FL) to support small to mid-sized renewable energy investments in France, such as onshore wind, photovoltaic, including some geothermal, hydro, biomass and waste treatment/biogas projects.

Additionality and Impact

Despite a strong increase in recent years, installed electricity generation capacity from renewable sources in France remains below national targets, leading to a sub-optimal investment situation in this crucial sector in the fight against climate change. The Project will contribute to the timely deployment in the next years of renewable energy production capacity in France, which will be key to meet the mid/long term national and EU energy objectives. The Project will also support the EIB's priority lending objectives concerning renewable energy and will contribute fully towards the Bank's climate action objectives.

EIB's intervention will take the form of a funding line to BPCE, a well-known intermediary of EIB's support to the renewable energy sector in France. The funds will be intermediated through BPCE group's regional network, Caisse d'Epargne Provence-Alpes-Corse ("CEPAC"). CEPAC will on-lend the EIB funds at attractive financing conditions to eligible projects, thereby facilitating their implementation.

The schemes will produce electricity from low carbon sources (solar PV and onshore wind) and thereby contribute to the EIB's priority of supporting transition to a low carbon, environmentally friendly and climate resilient economy. 

Based on the pipeline provided, around 85% of the financing volume will be invested in cohesion priority regions.

Objectives

The aim is to facilitate investments that support national and European targets related to renewable energy (RE) generation. As such, the project contributes to EU energy objectives, notably to make energy sustainable, secure and affordable.

Sector(s)

• Energy - Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply

Proposed EIB finance (Approximate amount)

EUR 350 million

Total cost (Approximate amount)

EUR 700 million

Environmental aspects

This operation will generate environmental benefits by supporting projects that help to mitigate climate change. The EIB will assess the capacity and procedures of CEPAC to comply with the national and European environmental and biodiversity regulations, as well as with the EIB's public disclosure policy, that aims to give public access to environmental information.

Procurement

Final beneficiaries will be requested to comply with applicable national and EU Procurement Directives, as appropriate.

Status

Signed - 28/10/2022