With the global cost of offshore wind dropping and new projects developing seemingly every day, the windy coast of Ireland is left with only one offshore wind farm. 10 years ago the potential in Irish offshore was seen, but these promising projects hit a wall. What is happening and how is it changing?

Andreas Back, senior manager, financial services at Wartsila goes in depth with TXF to discuss financing sustainable power in a market that still needs backups when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing, his competition, his dealings with ECAs and DFIs and also the changes in marine finance. How does it work when your niche is being niche?

Ireland-based Kenmare Resources returned to the debt markets in December to refinance the remaining debt backing its Moma titanium mine in Mozambique. But this time round, the deal has a new lender line-up, vanilla structure, looser covenants and cheaper pricing, which all reflect the strength of the mine’s cash flows and its expansion capacity.

TXF finds Mairead Lavery full of vigour about her first year as president and CEO of EDC in advance of her first performance review with the chair of the board. Her energies are devoted to promoting Canadian exporting companies on a path to sustainability, inclusion and diversity. Is she concerned about EDC’s perception as being more a bank than a traditional ECA? Not a bit of it. What about local content requirements? Competition with other ECAs? It’s a question of philosophy.

Anglo American agreed a £405 million ($527 million) rescue deal with Sirius Minerals this week. The takeover is a lifeline for Sirius which faced collapse if it could not find alternative funding for its struggling Woodsmith polyhalite mining project in the UK. But what is the benefit for Anglo?’