Greenbacker Secures $76 Million Credit Agreement with Fifth Third Bank and PNC Capital Markets

NEW YORK, April 19, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC (“GREC” or “Greenbacker”), a leading owner and operator of sustainable infrastructure and energy efficiency projects, has entered into a senior credit agreement of $76.3 million with joint lead arrangers Fifth Third Bank, National Association, and PNC Capital Markets LLC. Morgan Stanley Renewables Inc. served as tax equity investor. Fifth Third Bank also served as administrative agent.

Greenbacker will use the credit facility to expand its Celadon portfolio of solar projects, which comprises 36 projects, both pre-operational and operational. The portfolio totals 107 MWdc of clean energy–generation capacity across 12 states and Washington, DC. All of the portfolio's projects either entered commercial operations in 2021 or will reach that stage in 2022. The projects all have long-term contracts in place to sell power to offtakers diversified across municipalities, utilities and co-ops, commercial and industrial customers, and universities. Approximately 93% of the portfolio’s offtakers have investment-grade credit ratings or are investment-grade equivalent.

Greenbacker was advised on the deal by the Stoel Rives law firm; Fifth Third Bank was advised by Moore & Van Allen.

About Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company

Greenbacker Renewable Energy Company LLC is a publicly reporting, non-traded limited liability sustainable infrastructure company that acquires and manages income-producing renewable energy and other energy-related businesses, including solar and wind farms. We seek to invest in high-quality projects that sell clean power under long-term contract to high-creditworthy counterparties such as utilities, municipalities, and corporations. We are long-term owner-operators, who strive to be good stewards of the land and responsible members of the communities in which we operate. We believe our focus on power production and income generation creates value that we can then pass on to our shareholders—while facilitating the transition toward a clean energy future. For more information, please visit www.greenbackercapital.com.

About Fifth Third Bank

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the indirect parent company of Fifth Third Bank, National Association, a federally chartered institution. As of Dec. 31, 2021, the Company had $211 billion in assets and operates 1,117 full-service Banking Centers, and 2,322 Fifth Third branded ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In total, Fifth Third provides its customers with access to approximately 54,000 fee-free ATMs across the United States. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Wealth & Asset Management. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of Dec. 31, 2021, had $554 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $65 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations through its Trust and Registered Investment Advisory businesses. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ® Global Select Market under the symbol "FITB."

About PNC

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. Although Greenbacker believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. Greenbacker undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement contained herein to conform to actual results or changes in its expectations.

Media contacts:

Greenbacker
Chris Larson
Senior Writer & Media Communications
847.313.9035
c.larson@greenbackercapital.com

Fifth Third Bank
Adrienne Gutbier
Assistant Vice President, Public Relations Manager
513.534.8038
Adrienne.gutbier@53.com

PNC
Whitney Wilson
Vice President, Corporate Communications
214.871.1209
Whitney.Wilson@pnc.com