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Origo Energia

Country Brazil

Sector Solar Power

Financial Product Senior corporate loan

Financing Amount USD 6.5 million

Opportunity

Brazil is in the midst of an energy transformation, fueled by the need for cleaner, more affordable power and the country’s ambitious climate goals. One of the most promising solutions has been the rise of distributed generation (DG) solar, systems that allow communities and businesses to produce their own electricity and reduce dependence on the traditional grid. But scaling DG solar across Brazil’s vast and diverse regions requires more than technology. It takes creative financing, strong partnerships, and a firm commitment to social and environmental responsibility.

Origo Energia, founded in 2010, saw this opportunity early. Today, it is one of Brazil’s leading developers of shared solar DG, known for opening the doors of the energy transition to everyday people and small businesses. Its model is simple yet powerful: customers, from households to small enterprises, join a cooperative that leases solar farms built and operated by Origo. The energy produced flows into the grid, while customers see a discount of around 10% on their electricity bills. This approach doesn’t just cut costs, it empowers communities to be active players in building a cleaner energy future.

Origo’s commitment to gender equity is also central to its mission. Women represent 45% of its workforce across all levels, supported by inclusive labor practices, a Diversity and Inclusion Program, and institutional policies that actively address pay equity and promote fair treatment for employees, contractors, and community members alike.

In 2023, Origo set its sights on a new milestone: a portfolio of eight small solar farms in Mato Grosso do Sul, a region with significant solar potential but still limited infrastructure. The challenge was finding the right financing partner to bring this vision to life while maintaining the highest sustainability standards.

Approach

That’s where CIFI stepped in. Acting as Mandated Lead Arranger, CIFI structured a USD 19 million senior loan to support the construction, commissioning, and operation of the eight solar farms. The financing was made possible through CIFI and its Sustainable Infrastructure Debt Fund, with a structure tailored to cover most of the investment cost and provide the long-term certainty needed to make the project viable. The total cost of the portfolio reached USD 27.6 million, reflecting the scale of Origo’s commitment to expanding distributed solar in underserved regions.

But CIFI’s role went far beyond financial engineering. From the start, sustainability was placed at the core of the partnership. Together with Origo, CIFI ensured that every project site, built on former pastureland converted for solar use, underwent rigorous environmental and social due diligence guaranteeing alignment with international best practices such as the IFC Performance Standards and the Equator Principles. Origo also committed to strengthening its Environmental and Social Management System, implementing community engagement strategies, and embedding fair labor practices across its operations and supply chain.

Outcome

With all plants now operational and delivering clean energy to the grid, the project has delivered substantial benefits for Brazil’s energy sector and its communities. With 19 MW of installed capacity across the eight sites, the portfolio is generating more than 32,000 MWh of renewable energy every year. That’s enough to power over 12,000 people with clean electricity, while avoiding an estimated 13,000 tons of CO₂ emissions annually. Beyond the environmental impact, the project has created around 1,350 jobs, stimulating local economies and helping workers build new skills in the fast-growing renewable energy sector, advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) goals around decent work and economic growth (SDG 8).

Perhaps most importantly, Origo’s cooperative model is making clean energy accessible to thousands of families and small businesses who previously had few options beyond costly traditional power. Customers are saving on their bills while knowing they are contributing to Brazil’s climate goals (SDG 13). Origo’s commitment to combining profit with purpose has even earned it B Corporation Certification, underlining its leadership in responsible and inclusive business practices that support gender equality (SDG 5) and sustainable communities (SDG 11).

For CIFI, this project represents exactly what its mission is about: financing infrastructure that is not only bankable but also transformative. By blending innovative financing with sustainability and community engagement, CIFI and Origo have shown how distributed solar can scale effectively to deliver lasting benefits, making clean energy more affordable and accessible (SDG 7).

As Brazil accelerates its energy transition, the Origo portfolio is more than a set of solar farms; it is a proof point that clean energy, when paired with the right vision and financing, can power both people and progress.