BPCE ACTION POUR LE CLIMAT II

The project consists of an intermediated lending facility in support of small to mid-sized renewable energy projects in France (onshore wind, photovoltaic, geothermal, hydro, biomass and waste treatment/biogas).

This project supports national and European targets related to renewable energy (RE) generation and it will hence contribute to EU energy objectives, notably security of energy supply and tackling climate change.

The Project will contribute to the timely deployment of renewable energy production capacity in France, which will be key to meet the mid/long term national and EU energy objectives. The financing of this project is in line with the Bank's lending priority objectives on Renewable Energy as well as the transversal objectives on Climate Action, Environmental Sustainability and Social and Economic Cohesion. The projects will produce electricity from low carbon sources (primarily solar PV, especially rooftop solar PV and onshore wind) and addresses negative climate and environmental externalities, a market failure, through the reduction of carbon emissions and other air pollution. The projects will rely on revenues from the market (the wholesale market and unsubsidized commercial PPAs), in a sector characterised by incomplete markets and thereby, the projects will improve market efficiency and competition. They are expected to yield very good quality and results due to a very good social benefit and fair employment creation. With the appropriate conditions in place, the project is acceptable for financing in environmental and social terms.

EIB's intervention will take the form of a funding line to BPCE, a well-known intermediary of EIB's support to the renewable energy sector in France. BPCE will on-lend the EIB funds at attractive financing conditions to eligible projects, thereby facilitating their implementation.

This operation is intended to generate environmental benefits by supporting projects that help mitigate climate change. The Bank will assess the capacity and procedures of the financial intermediary to ensure compliance with the national and European environmental and biodiversity regulations as well as their capacity to support the Bank's public disclosure policy, which aims to facilitate access by the public to environmentally-relevant information.

Final beneficiaries will be requested to comply with applicable national and EU Procurement Directives, as appropriate.