New Strategic Investment Firm to Focus on Innovation in Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Generation
Energy Impact Partners launches first investment fund
Energy
Impact Partners LLC (EIP) today announced the formation of its first
strategic equity fund focused on investments that seek to optimize
energy consumption and improve sustainable energy generation. The fund’s
first closing includes investments from energy industry leaders Southern
Company (NYSE: SO), National
Grid (NYSE: NGG) and Xcel
Energy (NYSE: XEL) as limited partners.
EIP will work with its investors to adapt strategy to a changing energy
landscape, to enable innovation, and to enhance operational excellence
in utilities’ core businesses. Based in New York and San Francisco, EIP
is led by a team of professionals who built their careers developing the
strategic technology investment business at General Electric.
“Energy Impact Partners is honored to have three of the leading energy
companies in the world as initial investors in our fund,” commented EIP
Managing Partner Hans Kobler. “As EIP moves into full operating mode, we
will turn our partners’ strategic priorities into practical investment
theses, working closely with the companies that will be the building
blocks of tomorrow’s global energy web.”
The firm intends to focus on the efficient consumption of energy and
sustainable generation and distribution, such as:
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Smart buildings
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Smart grid
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Energy storage
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Distributed generation
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Connected sensors ‘The Grid of Things’
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Power management
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Data management and analytics
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Comprehensive energy services
EIP’s fund will invest in growth equity opportunities, companies with a
proven product or service at the inflection point of their growth, and
special situations involving targeted strategic sectors.
"Southern Company's focus on finding new, more efficient ways to meet
customers' energy needs aligns with the objectives of this fund," said
Southern Company Chairman, President and CEO Thomas A. Fanning. "This
strategic investment is an extension of our decades-long commitment to
driving energy innovation to better serve our customers."
“We continue to focus on marrying the best innovation with rising
customer expectations,” added National Grid CEO Steve Holliday, “and EIP
will help advance that objective. Working with EIP will help us stay at
the forefront of our changing industry and support us in providing safe,
reliable and affordable energy for our customers.”
“New technology is driving tremendous change in our industry, and it’s
important that we adapt to and embrace that change,” added Xcel Energy
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Ben Fowke. “Our
involvement with EIP will help us better understand how to continue
leveraging technology’s impact on our business to drive greater
efficiency and innovation and meet the evolving needs of our customers
as a trusted energy partner.”
About Energy Impact Partners
Energy Impact Partners (EIP) is an investment firm focused on companies
optimizing energy consumption and improving sustainable energy
generation. EIP is based on a collaborative strategic investment
approach, pioneered by the fund’s principles at GE. EIP seeks to bring
the best companies, experience and vision in the industry to bear on the
emerging energy landscape.
About Southern Company
With more than 4.5 million customers and approximately 46,000 megawatts
of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the
premier energy company serving the Southeast through its subsidiaries. A
leading U.S. producer of clean, safe, reliable and affordable
electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and
a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and
wireless communications. For more information, visit www.southerncompany.com.
About National Grid
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE: NGG) is an electricity and natural gas
delivery company that connects nearly 7 million customers to vital
energy sources through its networks in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode
Island. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in the Northeast.
National Grid also operates the systems that deliver gas and electricity
across Great Britain.
Through its U.S. Connect21 strategy, National Grid is transforming its
electricity and natural gas networks to support the 21st
century digital economy with smarter, cleaner, and more resilient energy
solutions. Connect21 is vital to our communities' long-term economic and
environmental health and aligns with regulatory initiatives in New York
(REV: Reforming the Energy Vision) and Massachusetts (Grid
Modernization.)
For more information please visit our website: www.nationalgridus.com,
or our Connecting
website. You can also follow us on Twitter,
watch us on You
Tube, Friend us on Facebook
and find our photos on Instagram.
About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of
homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in
responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean
energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive
prices. For more information, visit www.xcelenergy.com
or follow us on Twitter
and Facebook.
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