Småkraft Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary

• Småkraft has been owned by long-term investment funds and mandates managed by Aquila Capital since 2015
• Since then, Småkraft has grown significantly to become Europe’s largest privately owned small-scale hydropower operator

Småkraft AS, a pioneer in the market for small hydropower plants, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The operational company based in Bergen, Norway, is owned by long-term alternative investment funds and mandates managed by Aquila Capital on behalf of institutional investors. Aquila Capital is a sustainable investment management and asset development company headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.

Since acquisition in 2015, this successful partnership has been instrumental in enabling Småkraft to deliver strong growth. The number of hydropower plants in Norway and Sweden has more than doubled to over 200. And by producing over 1,800 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean energy each year, Småkraft has become the largest privately owned small-scale hydropower operator in Europe, thereby contributing to the global energy transition and the fight against climate change.

Christian Heidfeld, Head of Asset Management Hydropower at Aquila Capital and Board Member at Småkraft, comments: “Congratulations to Småkraft for 20 years of sustainable value creation and contributing to the transition to a society powered by clean energy. The way the company has developed since our investment is a great example of the success of our strategy in hydropower.”

Hydropower accounts for the largest share of clean energy generation globally. Aquila Capital believes that investments in hydropower plants can be particularly interesting and profitable for institutional investors, as they offer long-term stable cashflows and exhibit low correlations to other renewable infrastructure assets.