Describing the move as "confidence" in the company's continued rapid growth, Conergy announced on Tuesday that German utility giant RWE had acquired an unspecified minority stake in the downstream solar company. The investment by RWE Supply & Trading, RWE's energy trading arm, comes as part of a larger equity funding round led by Kawa Capital Management, which acquired Conergy in 2013 and maintains majority ownership of the company. In an interview with pv magazine, Conergy CEO Andrew de Pass said the additional capital would be used to support Conergy's aggressive global growth plans. The acquisition also represents a dramatic shift in the utility vs. solar debate that de Pass sees as a growing trend among utility companies in Europe and around the world of embracing renewables rather than hindering their expansion. "This investment is one of the first in a growing trend of utilities investing in solar companies," de Pass said. "As solar electricity reaches grid parity on a global basis, utilities will continue to invest in renewables directly and through equity investments in renewable energy companies. Germany is a leader in renewable energy production and the ...Den vollständigen Artikel lesen ...