{"id":15056,"date":"2022-11-01T09:49:49","date_gmt":"2022-11-01T09:49:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/startgreen.nl\/we-must-not-exclude-any-segments\/"},"modified":"2022-11-01T09:49:49","modified_gmt":"2022-11-01T09:49:49","slug":"we-must-not-exclude-any-segments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/startgreen.nl\/en\/we-must-not-exclude-any-segments\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We must not exclude any segments\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

November 1, 2022<\/span><\/p>\n

StartGreen provides financing within three impact domains: circular economy, diversity & inclusion, and the energy transition. <\/em>Coenraad de Vries, co-founder and Managing Partner of StartGreen, is convinced that the energy transition can still succeed in time, but only if everyone and everything plays its part.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Improvable optimists<\/strong><\/h6>\n

\u2018<\/strong>There are incorrigible optimists who think everything will more or less work out by itself. Then there are the improvable optimists, who say: things can still work out, but we really need to get to work. That is the camp I am in. If we continue to take sensible steps together over the coming decades, I believe it is possible to achieve a completely fossil-free energy supply. <\/p>\n

Tackling everything<\/strong><\/h6>\n

It is possible, but only if we all tackle everything together: total energy generation, infrastructure, and consumption. Not just with more solar panels and wind farms, but we must also do much more regarding energy storage and usage. Energy storage needs to improve because renewable energy simply does not always align with usage: unfortunately, the sun doesn’t always shine. But there is also a lot to be gained on the user side. We are used to having power everywhere and always, and connecting devices whenever we want. High energy prices are now confronting us with the facts. We are used to using appliances all the time\u2014day and night. If we use them more often during the day, when there is plenty of sun and wind, that will already partially solve grid congestion. <\/p>\n

The beauty of this impact domain is that we invest in all those segments: generation, storage, and supply & usage. There is no single holy grail: we aren’t going to solve it with solar, wind, or hydrogen alone. It must all be done, including with more sensitive sources such as biomass and nuclear energy. Our Director of Investments, Karel Asselberg, puts this well in his blog Success lies in the mix<\/a><\/u>. Of course, we must make sensible choices. For biomass, for example, we must be certain it is waste wood that does not have to come from far away. <\/p>\n

Smart solutions<\/strong><\/h6>\n

Because all roads lead to Rome, we invest both in solutions that immediately achieve the greatest possible CO2 reduction per euro invested and in technological innovations that can contribute significantly in the future. For example, in storage innovations and smart IT solutions to better align supply and demand (smart grid<\/em>). But also in smart solutions on the user side that ensure we use less energy and use it when it is available. <\/p>\n

Read more about this in the expert blog: \u2018Energy innovations are essential for the success of the transition\u2019<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n

In addition, we invest in making real estate more sustainable. Eighty percent of energy consumption in the Netherlands is gas for heating. That is why we invest in geothermal energy, heat pumps, and hydrogen solutions, bringing a gas-free society closer. <\/p>\n

Making a difference<\/strong><\/h6>\n

In all our financing, we look for entrepreneurs or project developers who want to make a difference. In our search for investment opportunities, we take a broad view and do not exclude any segments. After all, innovations are often cross-segment. We primarily look at what problem the innovation will solve and whether it is feasible. Then, we look at how we can invest in those innovations so they can be rolled out on a larger scale. <\/p>\n

In doing so, we always consider: will this really help us with the transition? But also: are we still needed here? For example, we notice that we are less needed for innovations in solar and wind technology. These markets have already developed to such an extent that large industrial parties can finance subsequent innovations. We therefore focus on new segments, such as CO2-neutral mobility and solar energy storage. <\/p>\n

Closing the financing gap<\/strong><\/h6>\n

We primarily want to create added value in the financing chain by funding those companies that need it because regular financiers are not geared toward higher risk and customization. We finance the risky initial phase, help the entrepreneur through the financing gap, and are therefore truly the catalyst that can get a start-up or early-stage energy project on track. With our knowledge and experience, we can accurately assess the technological and economic viability of an impact company. We can also clearly explain the risk-return ratio to the client. <\/p>\n

Because StartGreen has various financing instruments at its disposal, we can provide customized financing solutions: we can piece together (subordinated) debt, equity, and (convertible) loans. We are unique in this regard. Once we have laid the foundation, other financing partners can step in. <\/p>\n

Also read: Project financing, an indispensable instrument for the energy transition<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n

Less dependent<\/strong><\/h6>\n

In 2021, we did not yet know that Putin would turn off the gas tap at the beginning of this year. Now, the necessity of the energy transition is even more urgent. Not only from a sustainability perspective; we now also see how dependent we are on countries we do not want to be dependent on. That is why I am now even prouder that we are helping to make the energy transition possible.\u2019 <\/p>\n

This blog previously appeared in our Impact Report 2021<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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