CIT Serves as Coordinating Lead Arranger for $151 Million Solar Project Financing

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CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) has announced its role as the coordinating lead arranger for a $151 million financing for the 250-megawatt Galloway I solar farm in Concho County, Texas. The financing will support the development and construction overseen by Skyline Renewables and 8minute Solar Energy. The project is backed by a power purchase agreement and a hedge with Morgan Stanley Capital Group. CIT, recognized among the top lenders for renewable energy, continues to strengthen its position in the clean energy sector, reflecting robust market demand.

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• Coordinating lead arranger for $151 million Galloway I solar project financing.
• Strong market demand for renewable energy projects.
• CIT's recognition as a top lender in renewable energy financing.

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NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) today announced that its Power and Energy business served as coordinating lead arranger on a $151 million financing for the 250-megawatt Galloway I solar farm planned for Concho County, Texas.

The financing was arranged on behalf of Skyline Renewables and 8minute Solar Energy (8minute), which will continue to jointly oversee development and construction of the project. Galloway I was acquired by Skyline Renewables, an experienced renewables company backed by the infrastructure team at Ardian, a world-leading private investment house.

The project is supported in part by a power purchase agreement with a major energy marketer and a fixed-shape hedge with Morgan Stanley Capital Group. CIT led a group of four other lenders in arranging the financing, with Morgan Stanley Renewables serving as tax equity investor.

"We're very pleased to be adding such a robust solar project in the dynamic Texas energy market," said Martin Mugica, Skyline Renewables President & CEO. "This latest project marks another important step forward to becoming a leading North American clean independent energy company."

"Market demand remains strong for renewable power generated by projects like the Galloway solar farm," said Dr. Tom Buttgenbach, Founder and CEO of 8minute. "We greatly appreciated the expertise of CIT's Power and Energy team in leading the financing for this exciting new project."

"8minute and Skyline are well known for developing and operating successful utility-scale renewable projects, and we are pleased to work with them to arrange financing for Galloway I," said Mike Lorusso, managing director and group head for CIT's Power and Energy business.

CIT consistently ranks among the nation's top lenders for renewable energy projects, as reported by market research firm Inframation, an Acruis company. Earlier this year, CIT also was recognized as Renewable Energy Lead Arranger of the Year by Power Finance & Risk, a top energy industry trade publication.

Power and Energy, part of CIT's Commercial Finance division, leverages its deep industry knowledge and expertise to offer comprehensive financing solutions for renewable and conventional power generation. The unit manages a large, diverse portfolio that includes investments in all asset classes across the energy sector.

About CIT
CIT is a leading national bank focused on empowering businesses and personal savers with the financial agility to navigate their goals. CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT) is a financial holding company with over a century of experience and operates a principal bank subsidiary, CIT Bank, N.A. (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender). The company's commercial banking segment includes commercial financing, community association banking, middle market banking, equipment and vendor financing, factoring, railcar financing, treasury and payments services, and capital markets and asset management. CIT's consumer banking segment includes a national direct bank and regional branch network. Discover more at cit.com/about.

About 8minute Solar Energy
As a nationwide leader in solar-plus-storage, 8minute Solar Energy (8minute) is championing the clean energy transition in the United States and shaping the future of energy. Since its founding in 2009, 8minute has successfully put 2 GW of solar projects into operation and currently has over 18 GW of solar and storage projects under development. By focusing on technology and engineering innovation, 8minute's best-in-class team has continued to set new industry records, developing the largest solar cluster in the nation starting in 2011, delivering the first operational solar plant in the U.S. to beat fossil fuel prices in 2016, and setting the record for the lowest cost solar and solar-plus-storage projects in 2019. As the largest solar developer in the country with an established track record of delivering above-market profitability, 8minute is pioneering a new generation of large-scale, fully dispatchable solar power. For more information, please visit www.8minute.com, and follow 8minute on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About Skyline Renewables
Skyline Renewables was created in 2018 to establish a leading North American renewables platform. With a current wind portfolio of 803 MW and 250MW of solar, Skyline aims to build a total installed capacity of 3 GW in the next few years. Skyline is led by a group of renewables veterans including its CEO, Martin Mugica, a leading executive within the US clean energy sector with expertise in wind, solar, natural gas fired generation and power trading activities. Skyline Renewables' leadership team features a number of experienced individuals who have been an integral part of the renewable industry development in the US during the last 20 years. 

About Ardian
Ardian is a world-leading private investment house with assets of US$100bn managed or advised in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company is majority-owned by its employees. It keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and focuses on delivering excellent investment performance to its global investor base. Through its commitment to shared outcomes for all stakeholders, Ardian's activities fuel individual, corporate and economic growth around the world. Holding close its core values of excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship, Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 700 employees working from fifteen offices across Europe (Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich), the Americas (New York, San Francisco and Santiago) and Asia (Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul). It manages funds on behalf of around 1000 clients through five pillars of investment expertise: Funds of Funds, Direct Funds, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Private Debt. Follow Ardian on Twitter @Ardian.

MEDIA RELATIONS: 
John M. Moran
212-461-5507
john.moran@cit.com

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SOURCE CIT Group Inc.

FAQ

What is the Galloway I solar project financing amount?

The Galloway I solar project financing amount is $151 million.

Who led the financing for Galloway I solar farm?

CIT Group served as the coordinating lead arranger for the financing.

Which companies are developing the Galloway I solar project?

Skyline Renewables and 8minute Solar Energy are developing the Galloway I solar project.

When was the Galloway I solar project financing announced?

The financing for the Galloway I solar project was announced on October 29, 2020.

What is CIT's role in renewable energy financing?

CIT is recognized as one of the nation's top lenders for renewable energy projects.