Good Energies

Good Energies was initially established in 2001 by Marcel Brenninkmeijer as an investment company with a strong focus on the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. Headquartered in New York, the firm quickly grew to manage over €4 billion in assets, making significant investments in companies within the solar and broader renewable energy sectors. They were known for their strategic approach to funding initiatives that aimed to advance clean energy solutions and mitigate climate change.

In a significant strategic shift in 2012, Good Energies Capital, a key part of the investment firm, rebranded as Bregal Energy. This transition marked a broadening of its investment scope beyond solely renewables to encompass the wider North American energy industry, including traditional sectors like oil & gas, midstream, and power generation. Concurrently, a dedicated Good Energies Venture team continued its operations from London, supporting existing venture-stage portfolio companies, while the philanthropic arm, the Good Energies Foundation, maintained its separate activities.

The firm, in its various iterations, has made notable investments in companies such as Q-Cells and Renewable Energy Corporation, playing a role in the growth of the solar energy market. Other portfolio companies included DunAn Microstaq, Konarka Technologies, NorSun, Tendril, and Power Assure. Their investment strategy often involved both control and non-control opportunities, with individual equity investments typically ranging between $15 million and $75 million.

While the investment firm evolved into Bregal Energy, the Good Energies Foundation, established in 2007 as an integral part of the original private equity company, continues its philanthropic mission. Based in Switzerland and part of Porticus, the foundation focuses on funding initiatives that reverse the impact of climate change through access to clean energy and the protection of tropical forests. The historical investment firm's legacy is rooted in its early commitment to sustainable energy and its subsequent expansion into a broader energy investment mandate under the Bregal Energy brand.