
August 2018
Can you tell us a little bit about Solarif Financial’s history in South America and what makes you different from your competitors?
Solarif Financial is a business partnership between Luz Holding (a company dedicated to Social Impact investments) and the Solarif Group (PV projects insurance), both companies are based in The Netherlands and focus on the financial aspects of the PV projects worldwide. Having been in charge and covering Latin America for many years, we maximize the work between the private and public sector and are on top of local regulations. Furthermore, we have a deep local network in several countries, that allows us to play locally. I would say that what makes us different is that we love what we do and our work is based on trust in business and long-term relationships.
What have your greatest challenges been in taking Solarif Financial into the Latin America market?
Our biggest challenge is probably our best asset. We are very thorough when we review a project or accept a mandate for a client. We prefer to offer fewer high-caliber projects than a broader portfolio that may not reach financial close. The nascent nature of some of these markets could allow for some players to describe the availability of certain types of financing (i.e., non-recourse financing) for certain projects when that might not be best or most viable alternative for the client or the project (i.e. project finance). We work in bridging any cultural or practical differences between diverse investors pools from markets like Asia and Latin America.
What would you say are the biggest challenges to the adoption of clean energy in South America?
Sustainable long-term government policies aimed at improving the industry – i.e. fiscal benefits, tenders with long-term PPA ’s, USD-linked, well structured PPP’s for transmission lines to interconnect all projects and make the industry sustainable
Where do you see the biggest business development opportunities in South America?
In the countries where the public sector works together with the private sector in order to accomplish a diversified energy matrix, on a win-win scenario for the players involved. Having stakeholders thinking about the best possible solution given the country's technological, economic and political reality to improve the quality of their people’s lives and environment
What game-changing project or technology is currently making waves in the clean energy industry?
- Blockchain applied to the Energy sector
- Batteries
About Luz Barbero Carbi
Luz Barbero Carbi brings over 18 years of experience within Financial Services. With her heart on impact investments, through her Holding, she became a partner at Solarif Financial BV, a Dutch company that selects projects to invest in the Solar PV industry. Luz works in bridging any cultural or practical differences between diverse investors pools from markets like Asia and Latin America. For 7 years she was Sales Manager for Bloomberg LP in several countries in Latin America. She was Portfolio Manager and Regional Investment Analyst, reporting 5billion USD AUM, managing intercultural teams. With qualifications in Finance and Capital Markets, Luz has developed a deep understanding of the industry and for the past 10 years she has been giving lectures in finance, around Latin America, mainly focusing on impact investments for Universities and Trade organizations.