M&As this week: SunPower, United Photovoltaics (Changzhou) Investment, and Deutsche Windtechnik

SunPower Corporation has reached an agreement to acquire AU Optronics Corp's (AOU) stakes in the AUO SunPower joint venture.

According to the agreement, SunPower Corporation will pay AOU $170m over the next four years and supply 100MW of its SunPower E-series solar panels.

The transaction is expected to close on 30 September 2016 and AUO will continue to serve SunPower as a wafer supplier.

United Photovoltaics (Changzhou) Investment has reached an agreement with Shenzhen China Merchants Yinke Investment Management to acquire a 49% stake in Changzhou Guangyu New Energy Company in exchange for CNY20.86m ($3.13m) in cash.

United Photovoltaics (Changzhou) Investment is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of United Photovoltaics Group, whereas Shenzhen China Merchants Yinke Investment Management is an indirect non-wholly owned subsidiary of China Merchants New Energy.

The target company owns and operates four solar power plants with a combined installed capacity of approximately 80MW in Xinjiang, China.

The transaction will be funded by United Photovoltaics’ internal resources, and Changzhou Guangyu New Energy will become an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of United Photovoltaics Group following completion of the transaction.

Deutsche Windtechnik has completed the acquisition of a 70% stake in OutSmart.

Deutshe Windtechnik provides technical maintenance services for wind turbines in the Netherlands and Germany, whereas OutSmart is a wind asset management company providing management services and operations in north-western Europe.

Bracebridge Generation has completed the acquisition of three hydropower generation companies, Drag River Water Power, Irondale River Water Power, and Elliott Falls Power Corp.