Case Study: How embedded procurement credit helped deliver a hybrid solar + storage portfolio for a leading African bank

As commercial and industrial (C&I) energy projects scale across Africa, developers increasingly face a familiar challenge: securing critical equipment fast enough to meet aggressive rollout timelines while preserving working capital.

For one European renewable energy developer operating across several African countries, this challenge became especially urgent during the deployment of a hybrid solar and battery storage portfolio for a major African banking group.

With signed PPAs in place, strict EPC payment milestones, and delayed project fund disbursement timelines, the developer needed a procurement solution that could unlock execution without disrupting project economics.

That’s where Odyssey Energy Solutions stepped in.

Project overview

A reputable European developer with a track record of delivering commercial and industrial renewable energy projects across Africa was contracted to support the solarization of 25 branches for a large African bank.

The portfolio included:

• 1.5 MW of Tier-1 solar modules
• 4 MWh lithium-ion battery storage systems and inverters
• Hybrid C&I system deployment across multiple sites
• Total project value of approximately $2.4 million

The project was designed to help the bank reduce diesel dependency, improve energy reliability, and lower long-term operational costs across its branch network.

The challenge

Despite strong project fundamentals, execution faced several financial and operational constraints.

1. Front-loaded payment requirements

The EPC contract required significant upfront procurement activity before project milestone payments could be released. Critical equipment suppliers required deposits and manufacturing commitments early in the process.

2. Delayed fund disbursement

100% of project funding was expected after the first disbursement milestone, with financing costs estimated at approximately 18% annualized if bridge financing was sourced elsewhere.

This created a timing mismatch between supplier payment requirements and project cash inflows.

3. Margin pressure from delays

Because the project economics depended heavily on procurement timing and delivery schedules, any delay in securing equipment risked:

• Price escalation
• Logistics bottlenecks
• Delayed construction
• Reduced EPC margins
• Potential project penalties

The developer needed a way to move quickly without tying up internal capital reserves.

Odyssey’s procurement solution

Odyssey Energy Solutions structured a procurement and embedded credit solution designed specifically around the project’s execution timeline.

Competitive procurement support

Odyssey sourced and submitted competitive procurement quotations for:

• Solar modules
• Battery systems
• Inverters
• Associated balance-of-system components

The procurement strategy prioritized reliable delivery timelines and optimized landed costs.

Embedded procurement credit

Odyssey provided a four-month embedded procurement credit facility that covered:

• Manufacturing
• International shipping
• Customs clearing
• In-country logistics

This allowed the EPC to secure equipment immediately while aligning repayment obligations with project cash inflows.

Flexible payment structure

The transaction was structured with:

• 15% upfront deposit
• Balance payable at collection and project milestones

This significantly reduced immediate working capital requirements for the EPC.

Digital procurement transparency

The client was onboarded directly onto the Odyssey platform, enabling:

• Procurement tracking
• Shipment visibility
• Documentation management
• Supplier coordination
• Real-time transaction transparency

This reduced operational uncertainty across multiple stakeholders involved in the transaction.

The results

The project successfully moved forward without procurement delays, while preserving project economics and execution confidence.

~$135,000 in procurement savings

By leveraging Odyssey’s procurement network and supplier relationships, the client achieved approximately 12% cost savings across key SKUs, including:

• Solar modules
• Batteries
• Inverters

Avoided financing penalties

The project experienced approximately four months of delayed fund disbursement.

Without Odyssey’s procurement structure, this delay would have added an estimated $144,000 in financing costs.

Protected EPC margins

The combined procurement savings and embedded credit structure helped preserve the EPC’s margins despite timing pressures and delayed disbursements.

Reduced procurement risk

Using the Odyssey platform improved coordination and visibility across procurement activities, reducing:

• Delivery uncertainty
• Supplier communication gaps
• Documentation bottlenecks
• Shipment tracking issues

Why this matters for the African C&I market

Hybrid solar and storage projects across Africa are increasingly viable from both technical and commercial perspectives. However, procurement timing remains one of the largest execution bottlenecks.

Many developers face the same structural issue:

• Suppliers require upfront payment
• EPCs receive milestone-based disbursements
• Commercial lenders move slowly
• Currency and logistics risks increase over time

Embedded procurement credit helps bridge this gap.

Instead of delaying projects or tying up scarce working capital, developers can:

• Secure equipment immediately
• Maintain liquidity
• Improve procurement pricing
• Align repayment with project cash flows
• Execute multiple projects simultaneously

This becomes especially valuable in distributed C&I portfolios where timelines, supplier coordination, and capital efficiency directly impact profitability.

Conclusion

This project demonstrates how smarter procurement structures can unlock faster clean energy deployment without increasing financial strain on developers.

By combining competitive sourcing, embedded procurement credit, and digital transaction management, Odyssey helped a leading renewable energy developer maintain project momentum, preserve margins, and deliver critical energy infrastructure for a major African banking client.

As distributed energy deployment accelerates across emerging markets, procurement flexibility will increasingly determine which developers can scale efficiently — and which projects move forward on time.

For EPCs and developers operating in fast-growing renewable energy markets, procurement is no longer just a supply chain function. It is a strategic growth lever.

Learn more about Odyssey’s procurement solutions at Odyssey Energy Solutions.