Investing in the Future: Sustainable Infrastructure as the Key to Change

This is also reflected in the increasing number of fund products in this segment. For instance, the Phenix Capital Impact Report from February 2025 lists 401 impact funds in its database, with 351 focused on "SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy." These are likely primarily solar and wind products, two asset classes that have been very popular for a long time and have been made financially viable over time through structured financing. The next most prominent areas, by the number of products, are "SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure" and "SDG 13: Climate Action" with 92 and 89 funds, respectively. It is clear that there is still significant potential for growth in these areas, given the ambitious political goals.

NEXT Generation Invest is a real asset investment manager with a focus on impact investments and forward-looking infrastructure projects. The strategy of NEXT Generation Invest combines economic success with measurable social and environmental benefits, aiming to close the financing gap for innovative projects and themes that have not yet received sufficient attention. The company invests specifically in sectors that actively contribute to sustainable transformation – from renewable energy to carbon capture and storage, and social infrastructure.

NEXT Generation Invest is guided by the philosophy that infrastructure not only generates returns but also positively changes the world. Therefore, the asset manager invests in projects that:

• Utilize decarbonization technologies to reduce emissions (Carbon Capture and Storage, CCS);
• Strengthen the circular economy to use resources more efficiently;
• Ensure grid stability through energy storage and transmission;
• Promote renewable energy such as biomass, solar, and wind;
• Expand social infrastructure in education, health, and administration.

A crucial part of the strategy is the transparent and systematic measurement of the impact achieved. A rigorous Impact Measurement & Management approach ensures that both social and environmental aspects are visible and evaluable.

Practical Example of Social Infrastructure: Sammlungszentrum Hannover

A classic example of sustainable real estate development is the Sammlungszentrum Hannover. The modern archive and depot building, completed in 2023, combines economic stability with state-owned single-tenant real estate and societal added value, meeting the highest sustainability standards:

• DGNB Platinum certification & KfW-55 standard.
• Green roof and high-performance photovoltaic system for CO₂ reduction.
• Historical and cultural research and preservation.
• Public areas that foster cultural exchange.

Practical Example of Biomass and CCS

Another example of sustainable energy infrastructure is a biomass LNG and CO₂ capture project in North Rhine-Westphalia. The state-of-the-art biogas plant uses biogenic waste from agriculture to produce raw biogas in the first step and then converts it into liquefied biogas (LNG) in a further step. This biogenic LNG can replace imported fossil LNG in the transportation sector, reducing dependence on energy imports.

In addition to climate-neutral energy production of around 50 million kWh per year, the project has another key component: CO₂ capture and utilization. During gas processing, CO₂ is removed, liquefied, and sold to the food industry – resulting in an annual savings of approximately 8,000 tons of CO₂.

Another sustainable aspect is the integration into a circular economy. The fermentation residues) serve as low-emission fertilizer for agriculture, keeping valuable nutrients in the cycle. For self-sufficiency, an efficient CHP (Combined Heat and Power) plant is operated, supplemented by solar and wind energy. In a future pipeline project, an existing smaller wind turbine will be replaced by a more powerful one to further optimize renewable power generation.

The project makes a significant contribution to climate goals through its high greenhouse gas savings and serves as an anchor project in the region to promote regional economic growth.

Another focus is the implementation of CCS in biochar projects. Here, (woody) biomass is carbonized through pyrolysis and can then be converted into carbon in various technical, agricultural, and industrial applications. Nature is left with the difficult task of filtering CO₂ from the air and incorporating it into biomass through plant growth, while humans handle the carbonization and binding in soils, feed, products, and buildings through technical devices. Additionally, the carbonization process generates waste heat that can be used as district heating or for electricity generation with a base load character.

*Investments in sustainable infrastructure are crucial to addressing the economic and societal challenges of our time. The strategy of NEXT Generation Invest not only offers attractive returns but actively shapes the future.