NextEnergy Solar Regulatory News (NESF)

28 May 2020

NextEnergy Solar Fund Limited

("NESF" or the "Company")

Scrip Reference Price

The reference price of a new Ordinary Share under the scrip dividend alternative for the interim dividend for the quarter ended 31 March 2020 has been set at 107.84 pence. This is the average of the middle market prices of the Company's shares derived from the London Stock Exchange Daily Official List for the ex-dividend date and the four subsequent dealing days. The final date for receiving elections on the scrip is 8 June 2020.

The process for electing to receive Scrip Shares or making changes to an existing Scrip Dividend Mandate is detailed in the Scrip Circular dated 8 August 2019.

If you wish to receive this interim dividend in cash on the whole of your holding, and do not have a Scrip Dividend Mandate in place, you do not need to take any further action.

If you already have a Scrip Dividend Mandate in place and you wish to continue to receive Scrip Shares, you do not need to take any further action. 

The Scrip Circular dated 8 August 2019 can be viewed and/or downloaded from the Investor Relations part of the NESF website (nextenergysolarfund.com). Copies of these documents can also be obtained from the Company Secretary.

For further information:

Notes to Editors[i]:

A constituent of the FTSE 250 Index, NextEnergy Solar Fund ("NESF") is a renewable energy infrastructure investment company that invests primarily in operating solar power plants in the UK (it may invest up to 15% of its gross assets in other OECD countries). The Company is committed to ESG principles and responsible investment and makes a meaningful contribution to reducing CO2 emissions through the generation of clean solar power. NESF has been designated a Guernsey Green Fund by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission and has been awarded the London Stock Exchange's Green Economy Mark.

NESF has a diversified portfolio comprising 90 operating solar assets, primarily on agricultural, industrial and commercial sites, with a combined installed power capacity in excess of 755MW. As at 31 March 2020, the Company has gross assets of £993 million, of which 89% is invested in the UK, and net assets of £579 million. The majority of long-term cash flows from its investments are inflation-linked.

NESF's investment objective is to provide ordinary shareholders with a sustainable and attractive dividend that increases in line with RPI over the long term, while delivering an element of capital growth through reinvesting net cash generated in excess of the target dividend. The dividend is payable quarterly and the Company has announced a total dividend for the year to 31 March 2020 of 6.87p per ordinary share.

NESF is differentiated by its access to NextEnergy Capital Group ("NEC Group"), its Investment Manager, which has a strong track record in sourcing, acquiring and managing operating solar assets. WiseEnergy is NEC Group's specialist operating asset management division, which since its founding has provided operating asset management, monitoring, technical due diligence and other services to over 1,300 utility-scale solar power plants with an installed capacity in excess of 1.6 GW.

Further information on NESF, NEC Group and WiseEnergy is available at nextenergysolarfund.com, nextenergycapital.com and wise-energy.eu.

[1] Note: All data is unaudited as at 31 March 2020, being the latest date in respect of which NESF has published financial information.