Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s leading clean energy company, has announced the proposed acquisition of Saeta Yield, a major renewable energy developer, from Brookfield Renewable and its institutional partners. The deal, valued at approximately $1.4 billion, is expected to close by the end of 2024, pending regulatory approvals.
The transaction involves the purchase of 745 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy assets, including 538MW of wind energy in Spain, 144MW of wind assets in Portugal, and 63MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) assets in Spain. Additionally, Saeta has a development pipeline of 1.6 gigawatts (GW), which Masdar plans to utilize to further expand its renewable energy capacity. The deal, however, excludes 350MW of concentrated solar power assets, which Brookfield will retain.
This deal significantly expands Masdar’s presence in the Iberian Peninsula, aligning with the company’s goal of achieving 100GW of global renewable energy capacity by 2030. Masdar’s acquisition strengthens its renewable energy footprint in one of Europe’s largest renewable markets and comes on the heels of a recent partnership with Endesa for 2.5GW of renewable energy assets in Spain.
HE Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar and COP28 President said, “Masdar is committed to accelerating the delivery of clean energy capacity across the Iberian Peninsula and Europe. Representing one of Spain’s largest renewable energy transactions, this landmark deal with Brookfield Renewable builds on Masdar’s strong growth story, demonstrating our commitment to the EU’s wider net zero by 2050 target and unlocking new capacity.”
Brookfield, which acquired Saeta in 2018, worked with the company to optimise its operations by divesting non-core assets and enhancing capital efficiency. Mark Carney, Chair of Transition Investing at Brookfield, highlighted that the deal reflects a collaborative effort to accelerate the path to a net-zero economy. He said, “We are thrilled to conclude this important transaction with Masdar. As global leaders in clean energy development, Brookfield and Masdar will continue to be important players to accelerate the journey towards a net-zero economy.”
Álvaro Pérez de Lema, Chief Executive Officer of Saeta said, “After more than six years of successful and profitable growth with Brookfield, we are very excited to open a new chapter in Saeta’s history with the arrival of Masdar as the new controlling shareholder. We look forward to working with Masdar to take Saeta to the next phase of its growth story, further consolidating its leadership position as an independent producer of renewable energy in Iberia.”
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar added, “This deal consolidates our footprint in the Iberian market by acquiring a well-established renewable platform, with a strong operational portfolio and management team, and tangible near-term and long-term growth opportunities, supporting Masdar’s expansion plans to reach 100GW by 2030.”