NAV & Valuation Assumptions

Net Asset Value (as at 31 March 2024)

Net Asset Value

 

The Company’s NAV is calculated quarterly and based on the valuation of the investment portfolio provided by the Investment Adviser and the other assets and liabilities of the Company calculated by the Administrator. The NAV is reviewed and approved by the Investment Manager and the Board. All variables relating to the performance of the underlying assets are reviewed and incorporated in the process of identifying relevant drivers of the discounted cash flow valuation.

 

Updates to Net Asset Value (“NAV”) assumptions

 

The Company has made the following updates to its valuation assumptions for the 31 March 2024 NAV calculation:

  • Updated inflation assumptions to reflect the latest available third-party inflation data from HM Treasury Forecasts and long-term implied rates from the Bank of England for its UK assets.  For international assets, IMF forecasts are used.
  • Updated power price forecasts capturing the latest available third-party advisor long-term power curves.

 The updated NAV assumptions are disclosed in the relevant sections below.

 

NAV Bridge

  NAV p/share NAV
At 31 December 2023 107.7p £636.4m
Time value 1.2p £6.8m
Project actuals (0.6p) (£3.4m)
Power price forecasts (2.7p) (£16.0m)
Changes in short-term inflation 0.3p £1.8m
Revaluation of new assets 1.6p £9.2m
Revaluation of NextPower III ESG 0.7p £4.3m
Cash dividends paid (2.5p) (£14.7m)
Capital movements (no net NAV impact):
–       New assets at cost 0.7p £3.9m
–       Repayment of RCF using cash on hand (0.3p) (£1.9m)
–       Cash used to fund investments and repayment of RCF (0.4p) (£2.0m)
Other movements in residual value (1.0p) (£5.8m)
At 31 March 2024 104.7p £618.6m

 

The movement in the NAV over the period was driven primarily by the following factors:

  • Increase due to time value, reflecting the change in the valuation as a result of changing the valuation date, prior to adjusting for any outflows of the Company.  The increase in value is attributable to the unwinding of the discount applied to cash flows for the period when calculating the DCF.
  • A decrease in short-term (2024-2029) UK power price forecasts provided by Consultants, mainly as a result of lower commodity prices (particularly gas, which is down c.30-40%), influenced by above-average gas storage levels, milder weather across winter 2023/24 and sustained reductions in demand.
  • The valuation incorporates revisions to short-term inflation forecasts from external third parties.
  • The revaluation of new assets accounts for assets as they become operational and moved from holding them at cost to fair value.  This includes the standalone energy storage asset and the two international solar co-investments.
  • The revaluation of NextPower III ESG.
  • The dividends declared and operating costs incurred during the year, this includes both ordinary and preference share dividend payments.
  • Other movements in residual value include changes in FX rates, fund operating expenses, and other non-material movements

Discount Rate (as at 31 March 2024)

Discount Rate Assumptions

The Company has not made any changes to its discount rate assumptions during the latest quarter.  The Company’s weighted average discount rate at the 31 December 2023 remains 8.0%.  The below table reflects the discount rate assumptions breakdown used for the 31 December 2023 NAV calculation:

31 March 2024 Movement
Solar UK unlevered 7.50% unchanged
UK levered 8.20 – 8.50% unchanged
Italy unlevered6 9.00% unchanged
Subsidy-free (uncontracted)7 8.50% unchanged
Life extensions8 8.50% unchanged
Energy Storage Uncontracted 10.00% New
Contracted 7.00% New

 Footnotes:

6.     Unlevered discount rate for Italian operating assets implying 1.50% country risk premium to 7.50%.

7.     Unlevered discount rate for subsidy-free uncontracted operating assets implying 1.0% risk premium to 7.50%.

8.     1.0% risk premium to 7.50% for cash flows after 30 years where leases have been extended

Inflation (as at 31 March 2024)

Inflation Linkage and Updates

The Company continues to take a consistent approach to its inflation assumptions, using external third-party, independent inflation data from HM Treasury Forecasts and long-term implied rates from the Bank of England for its UK assets.  For international assets, IMF forecasts are used.  Long-term assumptions are aligned with market consensus including transition to CPI from 2030.

Inflation Rate (UK RPI) Assumptions

Calendar Year 31 March 2024 31 December 2023
2024/25 3.10% 3.90%
2025/26 2.90% 2.20%
2026/27 2.90% 2.60%
2027/28 3.50% 3.30%
2028/29 3.60% 3.00%
2029/30 3.00% 3.00%
2030/31 onwards 2.25% 2.25%