Coronal Group acquires solar developer HelioSage and its 300 MW of project pipeline

Coronal Group LLC has acquired the majority of the assets of HelioSage Energy and formed Coronal Development Services, LLC (CDS), immediately establishing end-to-end solar development firm in North America.

Marathon Capital acted as exclusive financial advisor to HelioSage. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Together with Panasonic Eco Solutions, Coronal owns and operates a portfolio of solar facilities in North America totaling nearly 100 MW. The HelioSage acquisition will add in excess of 300 MW of near Notice To Proceed projects and more than 1.5 GWs of projects in development. The acquisition further strengthens and diversifies the unique Coronal-Panasonic platform by bringing in-house a first class development team.

HelioSage's strength in utility-scale solar project development, paired with a Coronal-Panasonic platform that provides expertise in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), project finance and asset management, makes for a compelling value proposition in today's solar marketplace. Focused primarily on power purchase agreements with utilities, over the last three years, HelioSage has executed more than 400 MW of agreements with companies including Duke Energy, Georgia Power Company, the Tennessee Valley Authority and others.

HelioSage also served as the exclusive solar consultant and transaction advisor for one of the nation's largest investor owned utilities from 2012-2014, participating in the origination, due diligence, and acquisition of 230+ MW on their behalf.

Jonathan Jaffrey, chairman and CEO of Coronal Group LLC, stated:

"This acquisition will accelerate our fast-growing platform and strengthen our position as an integrated solar energy solution provider for customers with utility-scale projects and across markets in the solar industry. In addition to an extensive pipeline of both near-term and development-stage projects, we are gaining a deeply experienced and successful development team that is committed to fueling the growth of our utility-scale portfolio in North America. The financial strength behind Coronal-Panasonic places CDS in a perfect position to reap the full benefits of HelioSage's portfolio."

Chris Walmsley, president of the newly formed CDS, commented:

"HelioSage has worked tirelessly to establish a reputation and a track record as a well-respected leader in large-scale solar development. Joining a team the caliber of Coronal-Panasonic represents the culmination of years of hard work - but what is most exciting to all of us is our future together."

Jamie Evans, managing director of Eco Solutions for Panasonic, added:

"Panasonic is excited to have HelioSage joining the Coronal-Panasonic team. The HelioSage team brings an impressive skill set and a culture that will be very complementary to the Coronal-Panasonic platform. Collectively, we are well-positioned to execute a significant project pipeline throughout North America in the near term."