OYA Solar announces corporate investment to accelerate company growth

NEW YORK, Jan. 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OYA Solar, an emerging independent power producer, announced today that it has raised additional capital, increasing its corporate investment to $35 million. Proceeds of the expanded investment will be used to accelerate the development and construction of OYA’s 3GW+ pipeline across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic and to fund acquisitions. OYA also recently announced a large capital raise, including both tax equity and preferred equity, for a portfolio of solar projects currently under construction.

OYA develops, constructs, and owns solar and battery storage assets, focusing on both community solar and traditional utility-scale grid-tied systems. Over the past few years, OYA has built out its internal development, origination, subscription management, construction, and asset management functions, allowing the firm to operate seamlessly throughout its pipeline’s life cycle.

The transaction was led by Greenbacker Capital Management, LLC investing through an affiliated fund (the “Fund”). Additional investors included Lewis & Clark Holdings and entities controlled by abrdn plc, each existing investors in the Fund. The financing follows an initial close on the investment from the Fund and the NY Green Bank in 2020, followed by an upsize in mid-2021 in which both the Fund and NY Green Bank, a division of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), participated.

“We are grateful for Greenbacker’s continued confidence and support in us as a disciplined, rapidly growing renewable energy platform,” says Manish Nayar, CEO and Founder of OYA Solar. “In 2021, we successfully made the transition from solar developer to asset owner, and we have now streamlined our focus on our goal to place 500MW_dc in operation by 2024. The increased corporate investment ensures that we are well-positioned to do so.”

OYA is headquartered in Toronto, with offices in New York and Boston. Founded in 2009, OYA has developed 1,440 MW of solar in the community solar and utility markets in both Canada and the United States. With a pipeline of over 3 GW and an operating portfolio, OYA is transitioning from a pure play developer to an independent power producer with a full suite of development and operational capabilities.

“Greenbacker is extremely pleased with OYA’s growth and execution,” said Ben Baker, Managing Director and Principal of the Fund. “Not only has OYA been a strong partner over the past year through the development and construction of assets, but the company has also positioned itself well to deliver its large pipeline over the coming years. OYA’s leadership has accurately identified opportunities and executed on delivering results on those circumstances delivering value to all stakeholders.”

Greenbacker established the Fund in 2020 to invest in companies focused on sustainable infrastructure development serving high-value markets across the United States.

About OYA Solar 
OYA Solar is a North American full-service solar developer and independent power producer. Its projects provide clean energy and widespread economic and environmental benefits for landowners, communities, and energy customers. It is committed to developing and operating solar projects, with a particular focus on community solar, that incentivize participation of low-to-moderate income households. Founded in 2009, OYA is the first North American solar platform to have been certified as a diverse supplier and minority business enterprise. We have successfully monetized in excess of 1,400 MW_DC of distributed and utility scale solar projects across North America and our current development pipeline exceeds 3 GW_DC. For more information, please visit www.oyasolar.com.

About Greenbacker Capital Management
Greenbacker Capital Management LLC is an SEC registered investment adviser that provides advisory and oversight services related to project development, acquisition, and operations in the renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability industries. For more information, please visit www.greenbackercapital.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. Although Greenbacker believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. Greenbacker undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained herein to conform to actual results or changes in its expectations.

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