Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners

We are happy to announce that Annabel Wiscarson will be joining Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners on April 8 as partner and Global Head of Investor Relations. Annabel Wiscarson joins from a role as CEO at Low Carbon Investment Management and prior to that she spent more than five years as Managing Director and Head of Investor Relations at Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP). She will in her new role at CIP build on the existing strong set-up and lead the global investor relations team as we continue to raise new funds, launch new products and expand our global investor base. “I am delighted to welcome Annabel to CIP. With her vast experience, expertise and leadership she will prove an invaluable addition to our team as we continue the growth trajectory of the past and continuously raise new funds and launch new products to deliver on our own ambitions and those of our investors”, says senior partner at CIP, Christian Skakkebæk.

Since 2012, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has been able to attract and nurture talent across our global organisation. One of these talents is Frederikke Lindbo Hennings, Legal Counsel who features on the Berlingske Talent 100 list for promising talent in Denmark under the age of 36. Frederikke joined CIP in 2023 as Legal Counsel in our Legal team and is in her work leading complex legal processes and driving results across CIP’s fund strategies and large-scale energy infrastructure projects with a tangible impact on greenfield investments. Jacob Dyrvang, Managing Director and Head of Fund Formation says: “Frederikke’s talent is undeniable – she’s leading complex negotiations with global institutional investors regarding their commitments to CIP's funds and co-investments. Her approach in her work embodies CIP’s values of teamwork, entrepreneurial spirit and working diligently towards driving the best results”.   Find Frederikke on the full Berlingske Talent 100 list: https://lnkd.in/dw5R4GZ9

Michael Hannibal, Partner at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), will join Stiesdal Offshore A/S as Chief Commercial Officer with the aim of accelerating Stiesdal’s work on floating wind technology. In October 2024, CIP partnered with Stiesdal Offshore A/S to pursuit large floating wind projects and together advance floating wind technology, overall project execution, and cost reduction. This strategic partnership is now further enhanced with the addition of Michael Hannibal’s competencies within offshore wind. While assuming the role of CCO at Stiesdal Offshore A/S, Michael Hannibal will remain a Partner at CIP but will step out of the daily operations and project decisions. He will continue leveraging his vast experience on strategic initiatives and activities at CIP to strengthen the supply chain including Core Capital investments in the supply chain. “We are very happy to offer Michael’s unique competences and expertise to Stiesdal Offshore on this very important technology. Floating wind is key to the further development of offshore wind, and with Michael driving this work at Stiesdal, we will accelerate this technology for the market even more,” says Martin Neubert, Partner and CIO at CIP. “I am excited and privileged to join Stiesdal Offshore as CCO at a crucial time in the development of floating offshore wind. It’s an interesting and challenging new role where I can leverage and combine my industrial and investment experiences from more than 20 years focusing on offshore wind. I’m looking forward to collaborating with developers, suppliers and regulatory bodies to move floating offshore wind forward being a natural part of the energy mix in many countries. I’m joining Stiesdal with a strong ambition of accelerating Stiesdal Offshore as a market leader within floating offshore, and I look forward to working closely together with the team”, says Michael Hannibal, Partner at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Chief Commercial Officer at Stiesdal Offshore. In his role as Chief Commercial Officer, Michael Hannibal will take part of the overall management of Stiesdal Offshore and drive the market related activities with developers, suppliers and relevant stakeholders. Michael Hannibal joined Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners as Partner in 2017 as head of CIP’s Offshore Platform. Before joining CIP, he held the role as CEO of Offshore Wind in Siemens Wind Power. Floating wind is expected to grow significantly in 2030-2040 as more than 70% of the oceans are too deep for offshore wind standing on the seabed, and Stiesdal Offshore will accelerate the development of floating offshore wind and position itself as a leading player for floating offshore wind projects. Michael Hannibal joins Stiesdal as of today.

This week, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) participated in the Official Danish State Visit to France alongside the Danish Royal Couple, Danish and French Foreign Ministers and Energy Ministers, and a selected business coalition to discuss a European partnership for a resilient future.   CIP took part in discussions on European energy resilience and investments at Palais Brongniart, which was also attended by the President of France Emmanuel Macron and members of the French Government. The focus of the discussions was on enhancing electrification, scaling clean energy generation and boosting investments in power and hydrogen transmission. CIP furthermore articulated the need to expedite permitting processes, reduce administrative hurdles, and modernise the design of offshore wind tenders.   “An affordable, resilient, and clean integrated European energy system requires a political foundation that secures sufficient investments. Build-out of renewables is the fastest and cheapest way to support the electrification of Europe – that includes a significant scaling of offshore wind, notably in the North Sea.”, said Magnus Brogaard Larsen, Managing Director at CIP.   Ambassade du Danemark en France – The Danish Embassy in France , Danish Industry, Dansk Erhverv Danish Shipping, State of Green Denmark, Hanne Fugl Eskjær

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its Flagship Fund CI V, has entered a new partnership with Italian developer GC Storage Services (GCSS), an operating platform set up by Ikigai Energy and Agnoli Giuggioli, for a 2.3GW pipeline of large-scale batteries in Italy.   The projects will be spread across Northern and Southern Italy, and the first project is expected to begin construction in 2025.   Batteries are a prominent part of CIP’s portfolio with recent investments in the UK, US, Chile, South Africa and Australia and the addition of the Italian pipeline marks our growth into selected continental European markets where the system need for batteries is clear. Italy has a supportive regulatory framework allowing CIP to leverage our growing experience in the storage sector to successfully deliver large infrastructure projects.   Nischal Agarwal, Partner at CIP, said: “The partnership with GCSS is a great opportunity for us to expand our pipeline of utility scale battery storage projects and to enter the promising Italian market. Italy has a clear need for storage and the enabling market and regulatory mechanisms are being put in place to make battery storage projects commercially attractive.”   Read more about our Flagship Funds here: https://lnkd.in/ejhSyGuz

Great to be in Geraldton in Western Australia with Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, Jorn Hammer and Shohan Seneviratne. Minister Bowen and Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners has secured $814 million in Hydrogen Headstart funding for our Murchison Green Hydrogen project. Well done to everyone involved and look forward to progressing the project.

Today, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, through its Energy Transition Fund I, has secured AUD 814 million (approx. EUR 500 million) for its Murchison Green Hydrogen project in Western Australia from the Australian Government’s Hydrogen Headstart program. The Murchison Green Hydrogen project is one of the world’s largest and most advanced commercial-scale green hydrogen and ammonia initiatives and is set to produce around 1.8 million tonnes of green ammonia annually. Powered by 6 GW of onshore wind and solar generation, the project represents a significant milestone in advancing Australia’s green hydrogen economy. Karsten Plauborg, partner at CIP said: “CIP is honoured to receive this funding, which reinforces our shared vision with the Australian Government to establish a leading green hydrogen industry in Australia. We see significant potential in green hydrogen and projects such as Murchison Green Hydrogen are key for countries and industries to take the next step within decarbonisation and achieving energy independence.” Read more about our Energy Transition Fund here: https://lnkd.in/dzydA2F7

Yesterday, Martin Neubert, Partner at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners participated in a panel discussion at the Infrastructure Investor Global Summit in Berlin on sustainable infrastructure as a core pillar of the alternatives portfolio. Among other things, the panel discussed the evolvement of sustainable infrastructure from consideration to an integrated part of many infrastructure investors' portfolios, LPs demand for robust, measurable and social outcomes, and the considerable decarbonisation opportunities in Asia. Being present at the industry’s largest event of the year is a unique opportunity to engage with global industry leaders and discuss the tailwinds that drive the energy transition and the global infrastructure investment landscape. At CIP, we leverage our financial and industrial expertise to develop sophisticated energy infrastructure solutions on a global scale and at the same time deliver attractive returns for our investors. Thank you to GIIA’s Chief Executive Jon Phillips who chaired the panel and co-panelists Rowan te Kloot from HSBC Asset Management, Scott Lebovitz from TPG, Esther Peiner from Partners Group and Daniel Lau from CalSTRS.

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its flagship fund CI V, has reached financial close on the 495 MW Fengmiao I offshore wind project off the coast of Taichung, Taiwan. The project is CIP’s third offshore wind project in Taiwan, together with the successfully constructed Changfang & Xidao of 600 MW and Zhong Neng of 300 MW. Completed construction is scheduled by the end of 2027, and six large local and international corporates have already entered into long-term power purchase agreements with Fengmiao I for its entire capacity. Thomas Wibe Poulsen, partner and Head of Asia-Pacific at CIP, said: “Financial close on Fengmiao I marks a major milestone for CIP and is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication from the project team, suppliers, contractors, banks, ECAs and offtakers. Fengmiao I is the first offshore wind project in Taiwan to be supported by a portfolio of corporate offtakers and will deliver much-needed clean energy to large energy users in Taiwan.” Read more about our flagship funds: https://lnkd.in/ejhSyGuz

Last week, a team from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, representing our Growth Markets Fund II, visited Romania to celebrate the European Investment Bank (EIB) commitment of EUR 30 million in co-investment for Pestera II. This follows a prior investment from the EIB into GMF II amounting to USD 100 million.     Pestera II is an onshore wind initiative in Romania with a total capacity of about 400 MW, set to begin construction later in 2025. It will be among the largest renewable energy projects in Romania and is anticipated to play a significant role in improving the security of supply in the country while providing competitively priced and sustainable energy for the long term.    Radu Gruescu, partner in CIP, comments on the commitment: “EIB’s commitment to CIP and Romanian energy infrastructure is a pivotal step forward in enhancing the overall energy landscape in Romania. This partnership not only underscores the EIB’s dedication to supporting sustainable development initiatives but also highlights the importance of investing in modernizing and expanding the energy infrastructure within the country.”    Thank you to EIB Vice President, Ioannis Tsakiris, and the Danish Ambassador to Romania, Uffe A. Balslev.