The IJGlobal Podcast

This latest IJGlobal podcast revives the “uncovered” series that delves into bigger picture market intelligence for infrastructure and energy. The focus of this podcast turns to Africa and sees IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville sit down for a chat with Roland Janssens – managing director of the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EIF). The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund was established as the first company within the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), a multi-donor organisation with members from 7 countries and World Bank Group. EIF is managed by Ninety One, and it provides long-term debt to deliver infrastructure projects across Africa. It operates across 10 sectors in 20 African countries and typically lends between $10 million and $65 million over tenors of up to 15 years, with an option to extend up to 20 years. Conversation with Roland spans a number of projects across Africa that the EIF has supported, as well as an insight on fundraising which, earlier this year, reached $294 million of debt facilities, more than half of its $500 million target to be achieved in 2025.

Infra Dig – the IJGlobal podcast service – returns to its core function with this latest podcast, building understanding in infra/energy sectors where knowledge is lacking. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville sits down for a chat with Edward Wilkinson, strategic corporate development lead at GScan, a company that wields a technology that has numerous applications across the infrastructure and energy sectors. GScan – founded in Estonia, but now headquartered in the UK – is involved in everything from artificial intelligence through to 3D reconstruction and machine learning. Edward gives a fascinating insight into GScan’s Muon Flux Technology (MFT) which is has been used for everything from scanning a concrete-filled nuclear submarine through to inspecting bridges for flaws and assessing the integrity of pipes. GScan’s MFT is equipped with reconstruction algorithms and advanced machine learning-based 3D modelling tools, enabling the accurate distinction of materials and defects combined with high penetration. It provides an alternative to ground penetrating radar and X-Ray that Edward believes provides an infinitely clearer view of an asset’s integrity.

The value of long-term investment by infra funds into infrastructure and energy assets is a central theme in this latest episode of the Infra Dig podcast. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville speaks with Hamish Lea-Wilson, a partner at Igneo Infrastructure Partners, who plays a key role in the fund manager’s origination and execution of European infra investment opportunities. Conversation ranges from an insightful run-through how a long-term approach to infrastructure investments achieves value and virtue, before running through a slew of Igneo managed assets. A good bit of the podcast is dedicated to German utilities company MVV which won the excellence trophy at the IJGlobal ESG Awards 2023 for its plan to be “climate positive” by 2035. Judges described the Mannheim company as “a poster child for energy transition in a utility”. Another winner that discussed is Nordion Energi – this one picking up a trophy at the IJGlobal ESG Awards 2022 – which involved the transition a traditional, natural gas distribution operator to become what some people have described as “the go-to partner” in Sweden’s energy transition. Conversation moves on to a focus on Igneo IP’s Finerge renewables platform in the Iberian peninsula which, since 2015, has grown that portfolio from 642MW of attributable capacity to almost 2GW. The podcast rounds off with a closer look at Enfinium which recently announced that it was investing in CCS technology to decarbonise unrecyclable waste and generate more than 90MW of baseload, carbon-negative power.

Having taken a little too long to kick start the year’s podcast service, IJGlobal launches 2024 with an interesting fireside chat on an award-winning project led by CBRE Investment Management. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville speaks with Toronto-based Robert Shaw, managing director with CBRE IM's private infrastructure business who is focused exclusively on the direct infrastructure investment programme. In a 26-minute podcast, Robert takes listeners through Forum Mobility, a project in California that won an IJGlobal ESG Award on numerous levels and an IJInvestor Award for North American transport investment. Robert takes the listener through Forum Mobility, explaining how it serves as “electrification as a service” supporting the drayage industry from Californian ports to distribution centres. Forum Mobility was founded in 2021 and is focused on electrifying trucking of freight from ports, forming a $400 million JV in January 2023 with CBRE IM and minority shareholder Homecoming Capital to develop and operate charging depots and a fleet of electric trucks to service the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland. Tune in to hear more...

The subject of today’s Infra Dig podcast is the US offshore wind sector and a particularly interesting company that has already featured in an IJGlobal podcast – Gazelle Wind Power. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville takes the podcast service across The Pond once again, this time to talk to Álvaro Ortega who recently started at Gazelle as CFO. In a podcast that is rooted firmly in the Atlantic – but with ambitions to appear in deep water somewhere near you – Álvaro talks about his new role at Gazelle and its floating offshore wind design. However, given that he played a central role in the financing of Vineyard Wind I… conversation is easily led into fixed foundation territory to create a compelling listen that is ideal for everyone with an interest in utility-scale developments.

This latest episode of the Infra Dig podcast sees IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville pull up a seat to the fireside to discuss artificial intelligence and its role in infrastructure and energy. The guest on this podcast is Henri Yoki – founder and chief executive of Exaum Ltd – an interesting organisation that recently announced the launch of its 1MW AI-optimised grid balancing pilot, the latest step in scaling its heat-generation-based power demand response technology. The pilot has been installed at Karhulan Industrial Park, 130km east of Helsinki. This first-of-its-kind system aims to help enable the green energy transition by providing near-instantaneous grid balancing of power as more wind, solar, and other green but unpredictable sources are added to the transmission system operator’s supply choices. In this podcast, Henri fields question on this pilot project in Finland as well as a host of question on the impact of AI on the broader infrastructure / energy community.

Chris Creed chief investment officer at the US Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office talks to IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville about the exciting plans to drive investments across The States. In a far-reaching discussion that is a must-listen for everyone who has an eye on renewable energy across the US, Chris talks openly about the role that is being played by the LPO to drive investments in support of the Inflation Reduction Act. With more than $300 billion in the kitty – a good amount of which has already been deployed – Chris shines the light on how it is deploying capital, the bridge-to-bankability model the LPO is adopting and how it is playing a pioneering role with emerging technologies.

This latest episode of Infra Dig – the IJGlobal podcast service – sees the focus return to the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) for an update on progress. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville pulls up a chair for a fireside chat with UK head of banking and investments Ian Brown who is responsible for the institution’s origination and execution of lending and investing activities. IJGlobal has been tracking UKIB’s performance as it builds a team in the north of England – Leeds – and seeks to achieve its mandate of crowding in lending activity and stepping up where other lenders fear to tread. In this episode, Ian talks frankly about the bank's ambitions, building up the team and how it plans to drive investments into the parts of infrastructure that your average lender can't reach.

The IJGlobal podcast is on its travels again, this time in New York at its REFF Wall Street conference run in partnership with Power Finance & Risk. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville collared keynote speaker Charles Donovan as he left the stage to record this latest episode of Infra Dig that focuses on the renewable energy scene in the US. Charles is professor of practice in the department of finance and business economics at the University of Washington and senior economic adviser to Impax Asset Management. He was previously professor of practice at Imperial College London, executive director at the Centre for Climate Finance and Investment at Imperial College Business School, and academic director of Imperial’s MSc in Climate Change, Management and Finance. Prior to academia, he was head of structuring and valuation for global power at BP and part of the strategy team that launched BP Alternative Energy with an $8 billion funding commitment. He served in the US government as an energy policy analyst at the Environmental Protection Agency and is editor and co-author of Renewable Energy Finance: Powering the Future, which is now in its second edition.

Just as there's more than one way to skin a cat, there's more than one way to extract energy from wind... especially when you are operating offshore. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville speaks to Johan Sandberg. chief executive of SeaTwirl, about his company's truly fascinating innovation in turbines for the offshore wind industry. Tune in to find out all about an innovative solution to deep water offshore wind power generation that being driven by an interesting Swedish company that is moving to the next phase with its pilot turbine. IJGlobal expects interesting things from SeaTwirl in the coming years.

Everything you ever wanted to know about Carbon Capture and Storage... but you were too scared to ask. This podcast has it all on the CCS front. IJglobal content director Angus Leslie Melville plays devil's advocate with Dan Carter, president of decarbonisation at Wood. In a 23-minute interview, Dan takes the listener through this technology that is being touted as one of the silver bullets (there is no single silver bullet) to achieve Net Zero. In a podcast that sits somewhere between a masterclass and a fireside chat on a key energy transition tool, listeners are treated to a 360 assessment of the potential in this exciting, fast moving space.

Having recorded 10 podcasts in person at the Inter American Development Bank’s excellent conference in Panama – PPP Americas – this latest one is with a delegate from Jamaica who was not able to attend in person. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville sits down for a chat on all matters PPP with Denise Arana, general manager of public private partnerships and privatisation at the Development Bank of Jamaica. Having been involved with the development of PPP in Jamaica since its inception, Denise is perfectly placed to talk about the national strategy for private sector involvement in the financing of national infrastructure. Tune in for a far-ranging chat about Jamaica’s infrastructure ambitions…

The final podcast to have been recorded in Panama at the Inter American Development Bank conference – PPP Americas – sees the focus shift towards the PPP market in Colombia. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville sits down with Jonathan Bernal, vice president for structuring at the National Infrastructure Agency for Colombia, to hear about its ambitions to drive the PPP agenda. In an interview with Jonathan – translated by IJGlobal LatAm infrastructure reporter Adrian Ganic – Jonathan runs through priorities for the Colombian PPP sector which featured heavily in the IJ regional focus (published early June 2023) for having closed the Bogota-Girardot Highway PPP, the largest deal to make it to FC in the region this year. Conversation moves on to the procurement pipeline which – at the IDB conference – centred on the $1.3 billion Villeta-Guadas road PPP that will progress this year and be awarded next (2024). He also talks about the $1.5 billion 270km Pasto-Popayan Toll Road PPP, an essential connector to Ecuador, and the largest concession in Colombia’s history. This podcast gives a 360 view of the Colombian PPP market and is a must listen for all people with an interest in LatAm infrastructure…

The final episode on the 3-part focus on the state of Santa Catarina in Brazil sees the focus remain resolutely focused on PPP and yet another interesting spotlight on a region that has been re-building its relationship with the market. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville welcomes 2 guests to this latest podcast, discussing the state PPP market with: Paulinha – speaking a couple of weeks ago (19 July 2023) at the Inter American Development Bank conference PPP Americas in Panama – talked about plans for PPPs in prisons, health, education and sanitation. She outlines a pipeline that will be of a great deal of interest to the international community…

The state of Santa Catarina features again in the second of a series of 3 podcasts where mayors speak about the opportunity for PPP in southern Brazil. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville sets up stall at the Inter American Development Bank conference – PPP Americas last month in Panama – and records (with translation support from IJ colleague Albert Negron) the latest LatAm Uncovered podcast for Infra Dig. The guests on this podcast are: Conversation centres on all matters PPP, giving the listener a 360 view of the municipal market.

The first of a series of 3 podcasts on Santa Catarina with the opening episode delving into PPP opportunities in the southern state of Brazil where they have ambitious plans to deploy the procurement model. In an impromptu podcast, IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville talks to 4 mayors from around the state… all of whom have plans to deploy PPP. Thanks once again to IJ colleague Albert Negron for his invaluable translation services. The podcast was recorded at PPP Americas – the Inter American Development Bank conference staged last week in Panama – that focuses on infrastructure investment across Latin America and the Caribbean. The 4 mayors a-speaking are: To hear all about the plans, tune into the first of 3 podcasts for the state of Santa Catarina.

The IJGlobal LatAm podcast juggernaut ploughs on with the latest episode recorded at last week’s Inter American Development Bank conference – PPP Americas – in Panama. This latest recording focuses on the PPP scene in Ecuador and it sees IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville sit down with Gustavo Camacho, under secretary of fiscal policy in the economy and finance ministry, and Israel Berrezueta who works in the IDB programme to support the ministry of finance from a legal perspective. To help with translation, the splendid David Alvarez – resident adviser on debt and infrastructure finance to the US Department of the Treasury – kindly stepped in and did the needful. With PPP legislation having been in place since 2015 and recent updates approved by government, Ecuador is in a good place to drive a pipeline of PPP transactions… which has reached an “inflection point”. To hear more about Ecuador’s PPP ambitions, tune into the latest LatAm Uncovered podcast…

The latest podcast recorded at the Inter American Development Bank conference last week in Panama is published today… an impromptu discussion about PPP in the Dominican Republic. IJGlobal editorial director Angus Leslie Melville sits down to chat all things infra with Izalia López – promotion deputy director for PPP in DR… and the results are unrehearsed and interesting. Playing an active role in promoting PPP in the country, Izalia is charged with driving international focus to the pipeline of projects… something that’s always of interest to IJGlobal subscribers. Conversation covers off everything from DR’s PPP legislation through to the procurement process (they plan to keep it pacey), the DBFOM port project, Amber Highway… and a lot more beyond.

This is the latest IJGlobal podcast to have been recorded at the Inter American Development Bank’s excellent conference last week in Panama – PPP Americas. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville talks to Luis Felipe Elton, head of the projects division at the Chilean PPP Unit, about the national infrastructure market in a side room at the IDB event. With an established PPP sector, Chile is lauded as one of the mainstays of the Latin American infrastructure market and has long been held up as a bellwether for countries across the region looking to drive private sector involvement in the delivery and operation of national infra. In a 17-minute interview with Luis, the listener is treated to an overview of the last 30 years of infrastructure procurement which has seen more than 100 concession-based contracts awarded, 77 of which are currently under construction or operational. The Chilean PPP sector has attracted local and international investment… and it’s not stopping there. Tune into the latest in the LatAm Uncovered series for an in-depth view of the market from one of the key players on the ground.

As hosts of last week’s splendid PPP Americas conference in Panama, it would be unseemly not to have invited the Inter American Development Bank for a podcast… and it’s a good job we did as they had a lot to say about the LatAm infrastructure market. IJGlobal content director Angus Leslie Melville sat down with IDB PPP team leader Gaston Astesiano and PPP senior specialist Carolina Lembo for a regional fireside that is a must-listen for anyone interested in the LatAm infrastructure sector. Conversation starts off with and overview of the challenges and opportunities for PPP across Latin America with Gaston recognising that the region has its hurdles to overcome… not least due to the Covid pandemic. This latest episode is an engaging insight into the regional market and a must-listen for all who have an interest in Latin American PPP.