IFC provides $50 million to Continuum Wind’s project in India

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, will lend US$50 million to two wholly-owned subsidiaries of Continuum Wind Energy (India) Private Limited to expand access to clean energy, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

IFC also helped mobilize a loan of $100 million for the project from YES Bank.

The financing will be used to construct a 170 MW wind power plant in Madhya Pradesh. The subsidiaries - D. J. Energy Private Limited and Uttar Urja Projects Energy Private Limited - will develop the project. The project will annually generate 330 gigawatt hours of clean power.

The wind farm will have 85 units of Inox Wind’s newly launched 2 MW wind turbine. The erection, commissioning, operations and maintenance of the project are going to be carried out by Inox as well.

Arvind Bansal, CEO & Founder of Continuum Wind stated

We are delighted to receive support from IFC and YES Bank for our project. We are committed to IFC’s high standards of project development and construction. IFC’s long-tenor financing, global renewable-energy expertise and validation of our project will go a long way in contributing to the growth of Continuum.

Around one-fourth of India’s population lack access to electricity. The government of India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change has set a target of generating 15 per cent of power from renewable energy sources by 2020. In India, IFC has a committed portfolio of about US$340 million in renewable energy projects.

Serge Devieux, Regional Director for South Asia, IFC, explained how this investment fits into IFC’s goals in India. Mr. Devieux commented:

By supporting this wind project, IFC will help expand access to clean power for many. IFC’s investment in renewable energy in India will balance the country’s energy mix, and improve its energy security.

Continuum Wind, with the support of Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, a global infrastructure investment fund, has achieved an aggregate operating capacity of about 150 MW, with 260 MW under construction and about 580 MW in development.