Oil shale - not to be confused with shale oil. BRAVE Partners is developing financing strategies for a business that owns leases and is also developing a technology to extract the hydrocarbons.

As fears mount that the banks will cease lending again, BRAVE Partners is working on a structure to provide commission financing to a European insurer from a non-bank source.

Real estate investments can be attractive for an insurer under Solvency II. BRAVE Partners is working with a real estate finance team to develop ideas with insurers.

BRAVE Partners is now mandated to find financing for a waste recycling business for electrical and electronic waste in Germany.
Extreme mortality

Following a visit to his old University, Imperial College – BRAVE partner, Chris Cloke-Browne has a different view of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Moreover, he has some ideas as to how it relates to another pet topic at the firm – Section 29 collateral for North Sea decommissioning.

Despite the somewhat uninformed press on the issue – usually under the title 'death bonds' and adorned with fat-cat grim reapers – the reality is that extreme mortality is both a useful hedge for life insurers, reducing their capital and thereby the cost of the product and a highly suitable investment for pension funds. BRAVE Partners is pleased to be developing the market.

BRAVE Partners describes its energy business as 'alternative energy'. This is to reflect the fact that we seek to work with businesses that are not the major companies in the energy sector. It seems as if the firm has hit on the zeitgeist in the industry. Whilst often controversial (and BRAVE Partners does not shy away from controversy) “alternative hydrocarbons” seem to be a theme.