Page 14 - AsiaElec Week 40
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AsiaElec                                     NEWS IN BRIEF                                           AsiaElec












































       RENEWABLES                          Chase will establish intermediate emission   developer Husk Power
                                           targets for 2030 for its financing portfolio
       JPMorgan Chase adopts               and begin communicating about its efforts in   Husk Power Systems, a Bihar-based off-grid
                                           2021. The Firm will focus on the oil and gas,
                                                                                renewable energy start-up, has received
       Paris-aligned financing             electric power and automotive manufacturing   $5-million funding from Dutch development
                                           sectors and set targets on a sector-by-sector
                                                                                bank FMO, the company said in a press
       commitment                          basis. The Firm is launching the Center for   release on Tuesday.
                                                                                   “We are honored to have FMO as an
                                           Carbon Transition (“CCT”) to provide clients
       JPMorgan Chase is adopting a financing   in the Corporate & Investment Bank and   investor and partner in Husk Power. Not only
       commitment that is aligned to the goals of the   Commercial Banking with centralised access   will the investment be a catalyst for Husk to
       Paris Agreement.                    to sustainability-focused financing, research   achieve its ambitious mini-grid roll-out plan,
          “Climate change is a critical issue of our   and advisory solutions. The CCT will also   it gives us a partner with deep knowledge
       time. The goals set in the Paris Agreement are   engage clients on their long-term business   and experience in scaling innovative energy
       commendable and ambitious, but the world is   strategies and related carbon disclosures. The   technology companies like Husk Power
       not on track to meet them,” said Daniel Pinto,   group will be led by Rama Variankaval, a   to focus on promoting productive uses of
       co-President of JPMorgan Chase and CEO of   Managing Director and 18-year veteran of the   energy,” said Manoj Sinha, chief executive
       its Corporate & Investment Bank.    Firm who also continues to lead J.P. Morgan’s   officer, Husk Power.
         “While the world has a long way to go, we   Corporate Finance Advisory team.  The power company operates renewable
       at JPMorgan Chase want to do more. That   “The transition to Paris-alignment will   energy mini-grids in Asia and Africa.
       means working with clients, policymakers and   require big ideas, technology innovation and   The $5mn investment from FMO, was
       advocates to transition our economy and turn   financing,” said Rama Variankaval, Head of   deployed from its Infrastructure Development
       the goals of Paris into a reality.”  the Center for Carbon Transition, JPMorgan   Fund, followed by a $20mn investment
         The bank is to create a new Center for   Chase. “This group will enable us to leverage   in 2018 by Shell, Swedfund, and ENGIE
       Carbon Transition that will help clients   the best of our expertise and resources across   Rassembleurs D’Energies.
       navigate the challenges and capitalise on long-  the Firm to help all our clients thrive in a low-  Keesjan de Kruijf, principal investment
       term economic and environmental benefits of   carbon future.”            officer, FMO, said that the bank considers
       a low-carbon world.                 JPMORGAN CHASE                       mini-grids as the key to unlocking a successful
         The firm aims to achieve operational                                   rural distributed energy sector, both off- and
       carbon neutrality from 2020.                                             under-the-grid, as it brings affordable and
         The Paris Agreement aims to hold the   MINI- GRIDS                     reliable clean power to MSMEs and residential
       increase in global average temperature to well                           customers in rural areas in developing
       below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial   Dutch FMO invests $5mn    markets.
       levels, and ideally, to 1.5 degrees Celsius –                              “Husk’s relentless drive for cost efficiency
       which would require the world to achieve   in Bihar-based mini-grid      and customer centric business model ensures
       net-zero emissions by 2050.                                              it is able to position itself both competitively
         As part of its commitment, JPMorgan                                    and profitably, both of which are key enablers



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