Sponsors of the $3.9 billion 700MW CSP solar project in Dubai – Acwa Power and Shanghai Electric – are near to signing the project debt backing the world’s largest thermal solar farm to date.

With a new report from the World Bank concluding that the participation rate of institutional investors in infrastructure projects remains low, TXF looks at some of the factors that could explain this trend.

The DFI-backed debt for the 7MW PRICO rooftop solar project – only the second power project financing to close in Palestine – is still going to be disbursed despite fresh outbreaks of violence in Gaza. But given its limited impact in meeting growing power demand in Gaza, and the past example of the Gaza Power financing, should it be?

Sponsors of the Nam Theun 1 hydro project in Laos closed a tightly priced ECA-backed facility last month. The deal, which took three years from start to finish, has lessons for participants on how to achieve a pure Thai bank financing with a Laos-based project.

Size matters - but innovation, strong marketing and a willingness to take on risk are the key traits that this year's winners of the TXF Perfect 10 Deals of the Year all share.