Building a Sustainable Future with Renewable Energy – Karim Megherbi

Karim Megherbi is the founder and CEO of Orisun Invest, a firm that assists in the realization and financing of energy transition projects globally. Boasting 17 years of experience in project development and finance, Karim is particularly adept at navigating the renewable energy sector within emerging markets. At Orisun Invest, he helps projects overcome obstacles like regulatory ambiguities, financing gaps, and technical complications. His firm offers comprehensive services including financial structuring, due diligence, risk management, and project management, ensuring that projects are executed efficiently and within budget.

In this episode, Karim explores the nuances of renewable energy project development and finance, highlighting the key challenges faced in emerging markets and discussing the successful models employed by his firm:

• Karim emphasizes the critical role that open communication and trust play in forging successful partnerships between developers and investors. Transparency regarding project plans and financial needs from developers, coupled with a risk-taking and supportive approach from investors, forms the foundation for successful project realization.
• In the energy transition space, developers grapple with several key challenges. From regulatory barriers such as acquiring permits and navigating intricate legal frameworks, to financial hurdles like obtaining funding from banks or investors, the path to successful development is often steep.
• Despite these challenges, Karim remains optimistic about the future of renewable energy development. He shares successful project examples from Orisun Invest, including a solar power plant in Egypt that employed innovative financing mechanisms like securitization and green bonds, and a wind farm in Pakistan that was developed using a unique public-private partnership model. These examples highlight the potential of innovative strategies to overcome obstacles and build successful renewable energy projects.
• Discussing Orisun Invest’s future trajectory, Karim expresses his ambition to expand into new regions like Latin America or Southeast Asia, while still maintaining a focus on renewable energy projects that have a positive impact on local communities.