Commerzbank, the sustainable investments asset manager’s main shareholder, acts anchor investor
Aquila Capital, a German investor in sustainable real assets, announced the launch of Aquila Capital Energy Transition Fund (ACETF), for whom Commerzbank acts asanchor investor (see here the press release). (74.9% owner of the parent firm since January 2024 – see here the press release).
The fund aims to raise 600 million euros from Institutional and qualified investors while granting an annaual gross yield of 14-16% and annual distributions of 6-7% with long-term capital appreciation. The vehicle is compliant with the article 9 of Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) and will invest in energy storage, decentralised renewable energy systems and enabling infrastructure.
ACETF also announced its first 50 million euros investment in a grid-connected battery storage system in Germany with a capacity of 56 MW and an energy capacity of 112 MWh, which is expected to become operational in 2026. Aquila Clean Energy EMEA, an Aquila Group company, will support the project in the construction and operation phases.
Aquila Capital’s proprietary pipeline includes battery storage projects with a 2.9 GW power and grants the access to high-quality investment opportunities while leverging on the group’s experience in clean energy and related segments. Further to the battery storage grid-scale systems, the ACETF will also invest in behind the meter solutions for decentralised renewable energy generation, such as domestic energy systems, and in enabling infrastructure, where the target sectors are, among others, charging networks for electric vehicles and industrial heating solutions.
Christian Holste, Aquila Capital Head of Client Advisory and Business Development, said: “Aquila Capital’s fund offers professional investors an unprecedented opportunity to earn solid financial returns by actively contributing to Europe’s sustainable future. Focusing on value-added infrastructure, the fund aims to fill a critical market gap and mix economic benefits with a measurable climate impact.”
Markus Wandt, Chief Investment Officer of Aquila Capital, pointed out: “Aquila Capital is at the forefront of tapping into value-added infrastructure, thanks to its strong track record in utility-scale clean energy generation. The fund represents the logical next step in our product offering to professional investors seeking higher returns from infra-core and core-plus strategies. This first investment that Commerzbank backed confirms our ambitions. Our experienced investment team members are not only thoroughly familiar with this asset class but also have privileged access to a stream of transactions in the various regional markets they serve.”
In June 2022, Aquila Capital opened a bureau in Milan. However, the firm is operating in the Italian energy efficiency sector since 2019. Aquila Capital’s Southern European Logistics invests in Italy, Spain and Portugal to build energy-efficient seed portfolios (see here a previous post by BeBeez). In November 2022, Green Logistics, an unit of the firm, carried on Sacco Green Logistics Park, its third Italian investment in the logistic sector and acquired a 68000 sqms land for developing a pole in Frosinone area with a warehouse of 33000 sqms and offices of 1600 sqms (see here the press release). Aquila also realised energy efficiency projects in Italy worth more than 35 million euros (see here a previous post by BeBeez). In May 2021, Green Logistics acquired a Tortona – based (Alessandria area), a logistic asset with a Net Leasable Surface 51600 sqms (see here a previous post by BeBeez). The fund also completed the construction of Tortona Green Logistics Park and announced the signing of a lease agreement with MacSped (see here a previous post by BeBeez).
In 2021, Dieter Rentsch and Roman Rosslenbroich, founded Aquila Group which has 25.1% of Aquila Capital. The firm invested 25 billion since its birth and it has 15 billion of assets under management on behalf of institutional investors. The group has 700 employees and 19 office in the world.
Aquila Group also invests in the data center sector through the subsidiary AQ Compute, a company of which Bain Capital acquired the majority on October 2024 (see here a previous post by BeBeez). The group is also carrying on the development of Milan-1 AI DC Campus, its third European data centre with a focus on artificial intelligence and hyperscale cloud computing. The other assets are in Oslo, operative since 2024, and in Barcelona. Aquila aims to build nine green data center in Europe with an installed IT power of more than 200 MW.
