Follow-on info about the connection of FuelCell Energy and Clearway Energy.
This is the connection to one of the world's biggest, if not the biggest holder and financer of energy.
GIP is Global Infrastructure Partners.
Coupled with and thru CEG, CEG is Clearway Energy, formerly NRG where FuelCell Energy's new CEO/President was previously.
GIP/CEG will recycle capital by dropping down contracted assets to the yieldco, Clearway Energy Inc. Doing so, it’s agreed to forgo any incentive distribution rights and has set up an Independent Conflicts Committee to review terms of all drop downs.
That clearly aligns GIP/CEG’s interests with those of the yieldco’s ordinary shareholders. And it ensures maximum leverage to management’s expertise in power, which will drive the growth of the yieldco’s ROFO (right of first offer) pipeline of drop downs. These now include energy storage: This spring, the yieldco bought a 2.8 MW fuel cell project from FuelCell Energy (FCEL) that sells output under a multi-year power sales agreement.
The key to success for the former NRG Yield now Clearway Energy Inc will be performance at the existing portfolio and maintaining a low enough cost of capital to fund a profitable stream of drop downs. The bump in share price since spring and a generally low cost of debt capital augurs well for future success.
Regards dividend growth, I expect GIP/CEG to do more self-funding and therefore to roll back to a more sustainable 8 to 10 percent rate, from the recent 15 percent, but that’s still a compelling value proposition for a stock yielding upwards of 6.5 percent. Buy Clearway Energy up to $20.
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Roger Conrad
