Taking stock of its vast experience and considerable expertise in the study and analysis of geopolitical conditions and market behaviour as well as energy infrastructure development and related investments, the Institute is quietly branching out to include a range of Advisory Services among its activities. These services are provided to clients with quite a diverse portfolio of interests spanning such areas as electricity grids and international Interconnectors,cross border gas transmission, renewable energy projects and energy efficiency improvement schemes. The list is completed with regulatory ,governance and licensing issues.
A typical example of IENE’s activity in the context of Advisory Services is the assignment recently completed for Grant Thornton in Athens. The IENE team examined a range of legal and regulatory issues related to the Green Aegean Interconnector project which is being promoted by Greece’s Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO). With Grant Thornton having been awarded the project’s overall feasibility study, the company sought IENE’s expertise in order to examine in detail a series of specialist areas including the legal and regulatory framework for crossing third countries exclusive economic zones (EEZ),the regulatory framework governing international interconnectors, and governance issues together with barriers and mitigation measures.
Another area of work where the IENE is offering Advisory Services is that concerning the certification and issuance of Green debt. More specifically the Institute as a certified Green Bond verifier by Green Bond Initiative of the UK, is capable of studying and advising private and corporate clients on the raising of green debt which is then used to support clean energy projects including renewable installations and energy efficiency schemes. Already the IENE has been successful in organising the issuing of a Green Bond in Cyprus for photovoltaic plant expansion on behalf of a Swedish renewables company, while it is currently advising an industrial and banking group active in SE Europe for the raising of a substantial Green Bond which will help finance the group’s expansion in RES projects including renewable installations the region.
