CrossBoundary Energy secures US$200m in additional senior debt
CrossBoundary Energy has secured an additional US$200m in senior debt, closing the second tranche of its award-winning portfolio financing facility arranged by Standard Bank. The new commitments—mobilising Absa, MCB, FEI, DEG and FMO—will accelerate the rollout of CBE’s renewable energy projects across Africa, including the landmark Kamoa-Kakula solar-plus-storage baseload plant in the DRC. The transaction strengthens CBE’s ability to deliver clean, reliable energy to mining, industrial and telecom clients.
CrossBoundary Energy (CBE), a leading developer and operator of distributed renewable energy solutions for commercial, industrial and heavy-energy users across Africa, has closed a second US$200m tranche under its innovative portfolio financing facility arranged by Standard Bank of South Africa (SBSA). This brings a significant expansion of the senior debt programme first established in late 2024, and reinforces lender confidence in the platform’s rapid growth trajectory.
The new commitments—mobilised from a consortium including Absa CIB, Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB), the Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI), DEG, and FMO—will support CBE’s fast-growing pipeline of behind-the-meter solar, battery storage and hybrid systems serving mining, telecoms and industrial clients across the continent. The facility also expands ancillary lines designed to accelerate deployment and streamline CBE’s portfolio-level borrowing strategy.
A scalable financing structure enabling rapid portfolio expansion
The portfolio financing structure—awarded IFLR Africa Deal of the Year 2025 (Loan category)—moves away from traditional project-level structuring, enabling CBE to deploy standardised capital at scale across multiple countries and sectors. This second tranche strengthens the facility’s depth and brings in new lenders aligned with CBE’s model of energy-as-a-service for large power users.
The fresh debt will help fund priority projects including the landmark Kamoa-Kakula Solar PV/BESS Baseload Project in the DRC, a first-of-its-kind hybrid system providing 30 MW of baseload solar-plus-storage to Kamoa Copper, Africa’s largest copper mine. Beyond mining, CBE continues to scale solutions for cement, agri-processing, data centres and telecom networks, where demand for clean, reliable and cost-competitive power is surging.
Growing lender pool reflects deepening confidence in CBE’s model
SBSA acted as mandated lead arranger, consolidating the participation of commercial banks and DFIs with climate-finance mandates. For lenders, CBE’s portfolio presents a compelling blend of:
contracted cash flows from high-credit-quality offtakers
modular, replicable assets in diversified geographies
strong ESG impact, particularly in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors
reduced execution risk under a unified financing and documentation framework.
Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
Company | CrossBoundary Energy (CBE) |
Financing Secured | USD 200m senior debt (second tranche) |
Facility Arranger | Standard Bank |
Additional Funders (2025) | Norfund, Impact Fund Denmark, EAAIF |
Key Risk Mitigation | USD 495m MIGA guarantee (July 2025) |
Model | Fully financed solar + storage for industrial clients |
Use of Funds | Portfolio expansion across multiple African markets |
Flagship Project | 30 MW solar + storage for Kamoa-Kakula copper mine |
Institutional partners highlighted the platform’s importance in enabling Africa’s industrial sector to remain competitive while reducing carbon intensity. FMO, DEG, MCB, FEI and Absa each emphasised the role of tailored financing instruments in closing Africa’s infrastructure deployment gap.
Driving energy security and decarbonisation in Africa’s industrial backbone
Energy-as-a-service models like CBE’s are gaining momentum as African industrial and mining clients face escalating grid constraints, diesel reliance and rising decarbonisation pressures. CBE’s portfolio—which spans more than a dozen countries—helps large energy users hedge power costs, improve reliability, and meet sustainability commitments.
The transaction also underscores the increasing appetite for portfolio-level climate infrastructure financing, a trend that reduces transaction friction and accelerates capital deployment in markets where speed and standardisation are critical.
A pivotal moment for Africa’s distributed renewable energy market
With this new US$200m tranche, CBE strengthens its position as one of Africa’s most advanced C&I renewable platforms, backed by long-term partnerships with leading commercial banks and DFIs. The expanded facility is expected to catalyse hundreds of megawatts of new solar and storage capacity, particularly in markets where industrial load profiles and weak grid stability create strong demand for embedded generation.
For investors and lenders, the deal showcases how scalable financing frameworks—rather than one-off project loans—are becoming central to unlocking Africa’s distributed renewable energy sector. For CBE, it provides the firepower to accelerate construction across a robust, multi-country pipeline at a moment when demand for clean, reliable power is surging.
