RWE’s Growing Green Strategy Boosted by Updated Green Financing Framework

RWE’s Growing Green Strategy Boosted by Updated Green Financing Framework

(IN BRIEF) RWE, a leading energy company, has announced its updated Green Financing Framework to support sustainable investment. With a focus on building a sustainable energy system, RWE plans to invest over 50 billion euros by 2030 as part of its “Growing Green” strategy. The updated framework enables RWE to issue green bonds and other green financing instruments, expanding the eligible projects to include battery storage and green hydrogen initiatives. It aligns with industry standards and complies with EU Taxonomy criteria for sustainable economic activities. RWE has already issued successful green bonds, amounting to nearly €5 billion, establishing a strong presence in the green finance market. The framework has been reviewed by sustainability agency Sustainalytics, ensuring transparency and accountability. RWE’s commitment to sustainable investment aims to accelerate the energy transition and drive renewable energy expansion.

(PRESS RELEASE) ESSEN, 22-Jun-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — RWE AG (ETR: RWE), a German multinational energy company, reaffirms its commitment to building a sustainable energy system by announcing its updated Green Financing Framework. This framework serves as the basis for issuing “green bonds” and utilizing other green financing instruments, such as “green loans,” as part of RWE’s comprehensive “Growing Green” investment and growth strategy.

Key highlights of the new Green Financing Framework include:

1. Expanded Eligibility: The framework aligns with RWE’s ambitious “Growing Green” strategy, allowing for green financing of a broader range of projects. In addition to wind and solar projects covered in the previous Green Bond Framework, the scope now includes battery storage and green hydrogen initiatives.
2. Compliance and Standards: The framework adheres to the 2021 ICMA Green Bond Principles, incorporating the updated Annex 1 of June 2022. It also aligns with the 2023 Green Loan Principles and makes efforts to follow the recommendations of the proposed EU Green Bond Standard.
3. EU Taxonomy Compliance: RWE’s Green Financing Framework fully complies with the EU Taxonomy Regulation, which establishes criteria for classifying economic activities as environmentally sustainable. By meeting these criteria, RWE sets a Pan-European standard for sustainable investment.

Michael Müller, CFO of RWE AG: “We are vigorously driving forward the expansion of our green portfolio and investing more than 50 billion euros gross in the green energy world by 2030. With our new Green Financing Framework, which is aligned with the EU Taxonomy, we are strengthening RWE’s position in the market for green financing instruments and thus the sustainable development of our company.”

As sustainable investment gains prominence among international investors and banks, RWE’s green bonds have garnered significant interest. Since 2021, RWE has successfully issued multiple green bonds, totaling nearly €5 billion, establishing a strong presence in the green finance market.

To ensure transparency and accountability, the renowned sustainability agency Sustainalytics has reviewed the RWE Green Financing Framework and provided a Second Party Opinion. More detailed information on the framework and Sustainalytics’ opinion can be found here.

With its updated Green Financing Framework, RWE solidifies its commitment to sustainable investment and further accelerates the energy transition by attracting capital to finance renewable energy expansion, battery storage technologies, carbon-free backup capacities, and the hydrogen economy.

Investor Relations
RWE Platz 1
45141 Essen
Germany

SOURCE: RWE