UK pension schemes have invested in energy from waste plants (EFW) across the UK as environmentally friendly investment funds are becoming more popular. Financial investment markets have witnessed a fundamental change in the attitude of investors in favour of greener options and a move away from more traditionally popular funds like the technology sector.  

In an article published in May 2021, EY noted that global renewable energy capacity investments grew 2% to US$303.5 billion in 2020 — the seventh year in which investments passed US$250 billion.

Late last year, European Diversified Infrastructure Fund III, a fund managed by First Sentier Investors acquired a 50% stake in three energy from waste plants from SSE Plc for almost £1 billion.

Green Investment Group (GIG),Macquarie’s primary vehicle for investments in green projects, has 19 plants in its portfolio with seven EFW plants in the UK. Macquarie has 307 billion in assets under management.

Fichtner, Solar 21’s highly trusted engineering consultants recently acted as Technical Advisor on the sale by Viridor for £4.2 billion of a portfolio of 11 EFW plants in the UK.  The buyer KKR is the world’s largest equity investment institution.

According to a report by Alpha Real Capital last year, nearly 70% of pension fund investors in the UK say they expect renewable energy investment to increase by 2025. 74% of the 50 pension funds surveyed already invest in the renewable energy sector.