Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking signs an agreement with the EIB to generate significant investment in the EU wind energy value chain
The initiative between the EIB and Natixis CIB aims to mobilise up to €8 billion of new investment in the wind energy value chain.
The agreement forms part of the EIB’s contribution to the European Wind Power Package, supporting development and boosting innovation of Europe’s renewable energy manufacturers.
The operation is backed by InvestEU, the EU programme aiming to mobilise investment of more than €372 billion by 2027.
Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking (Natixis CIB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have signed an agreement designed to mobilise investment across the European Union’s wind energy value chain.
The programme will support guarantee products for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) supplying wind farms and related infrastructure – including turbines, grid connections, cables, transformer stations and sub-stations – thereby accelerating the expansion of wind energy across the EU.
Under the agreement, the EIB will provide lending envelope enabling Natixis CIB to issue additional guarantees on behalf of wind energy equipment suppliers. With the leverage effect of these instruments, the initiative is expected to catalyse approximately €8 billion of private investment throughout the wind power value chain in the EU.
The guarantees facilitated through this programme are aimed at supporting the delivery of wind farm components and associated infrastructure, strengthening supply chain capacity, and enhancing the competitiveness of European manufacturers. This effort will contribute directly to the deployment of wind energy projects and the broader goals of the EU Green Deal, by supporting renewable energy capacity and contributing to climate change mitigation objectives.
EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle, said: “By partnering with Natixis CIB to expand guarantee solutions for wind energy equipment suppliers, the EIB is helping unlock critical investment in Europe’s renewable energy infrastructure. This initiative will boost the wind energy sector while advancing the EU’s transition to net-zero emissions."
Michela Cicenia, Global Co-Head of Global Trade at Natixis CIB, added: “We are pleased to extend our cooperation with the EIB on this initiative, which enhances financing capacity for key players in the wind energy supply chain. By facilitating additional guarantees, we can support the competitiveness of European manufacturers and contribute to the growth of sustainable energy solutions.”
This initiative will unlock key investments to support new wind farm projects, supply chain efficiency and improved grid interconnections, therefore accelerating wind energy development and ultimately increasing production.
The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. It finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, agriculture and bioeconomy, social infrastructure, high-impact investments outside the EU, and the Capital Markets Union.
The EIB Group, which also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), signed nearly €89 billion in new financing for over 900 projects in 2024. These commitments are expected to mobilise around €350 billion in investment, supporting 400 000 companies and 5.8 million jobs.
All projects financed by the EIB Group are in line with the Paris Climate Accord and the EIB Group does not fund investments in fossil fuels. Almost 60% of the EIB Group’s annual financing supports projects directly contributing to climate change mitigation, adaptation, and a healthier environment.
In 2024, France was the largest recipient of EIB Group financing, with total investment of €12.6 billion. Two-thirds of this financing went to projects contributing to the fight against global warming and adaptation to its effects.
Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking is a leading global financial institution that provides advisory, investment banking, financing, corporate banking and capital markets services to corporations, financial institutions, financial sponsors and sovereign and supranational organizations worldwide.
Our teams of experts in about 30 countries advise clients on their strategic development, helping them to grow and transform their businesses, and maximize their positive impact. Natixis CIB is committed to aligning its financing portfolio with a carbon neutrality path by 2050 while helping its clients reduce the environmental impact of their business.
As part of Groupe BPCE, the second largest banking group in France through the Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne retail networks, Natixis CIB benefits from the Group’s financial strength and solid financial ratings (Standard & Poor's: A+, Moody's: A1, Fitch: A+, R&I: A+).
The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps mobilise private investment for the European Union's strategic priorities such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings all EU financial instruments previously available for supporting investments within the European Union together under one roof, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub, and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is deployed through implementing partners that will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of €26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least €372 billion in additional investment.
The European Commission presented the European Wind Power Package in October 2023 to tackle the unique set of challenges faced by the wind sector, including insufficient and uncertain demand, slow and complex permitting, lack of access to raw materials and high inflation and commodity prices, among others. In a specific Action Plan, the Commission set out a set of initiatives concerning permitting, auction design, skills and access to finance to ensure that the clean energy transition goes hand-in-hand with industrial competitiveness and that wind power continues to be a European success story. As part of this plan, in July 2024, the European Investment Bank (EIB) activated a €5 billion initiative to support manufacturers of wind-energy equipment in Europe.
