STRONG
CONFIDENCEin
Interview with
Gerrit Schmidt
Bremer Landesbank
Gerrit Schmidt, responsible for project finance for renewable energies in Bremer Landesbank since
2007, led the negotiations with the wpd Group for financing the loan for Butendiek with his team togetherwith KfW IPEX and UniCredit.
Mr. Schmidt, why did Bremer Landesbank participate in financing the Butendiek offshore wind farm?
We were familiar with the Butendiek project from an earlier phase when it was planned as a citizens
wind farm. At that time, the subject of offshore wind power was not far enough advanced, or in other
words: the banks stiil saw many risks. Only after the successful construction of the test field, alpha
ventus, and the first positive operating results did this attitude change which is why more and more
banks today are taking decisions to provide project finance for offshore wind farms.
154
CONFIDENCEin
Interview with
Gerrit Schmidt
Bremer Landesbank
Gerrit Schmidt, responsible for project finance for renewable energies in Bremer Landesbank since
2007, led the negotiations with the wpd Group for financing the loan for Butendiek with his team togetherwith KfW IPEX and UniCredit.
Mr. Schmidt, why did Bremer Landesbank participate in financing the Butendiek offshore wind farm?
We were familiar with the Butendiek project from an earlier phase when it was planned as a citizens
wind farm. At that time, the subject of offshore wind power was not far enough advanced, or in other
words: the banks stiil saw many risks. Only after the successful construction of the test field, alpha
ventus, and the first positive operating results did this attitude change which is why more and more
banks today are taking decisions to provide project finance for offshore wind farms.
154