Case Study: The Prince Albert Energy Pilot — A Blueprint for Tokenized Sustainable Finance in Africa

Overview

The Prince Albert Energy Pilot, spearheaded by Scalar International in partnership with Invest Gains Capital (IGC), marks a transformative moment in Africa’s renewable energy and digital finance landscape.
What began as a feasibility vision in 2019 has now evolved into a real-world pilot demonstrating how tokenized green infrastructure financing can attract global capital, enhance regulatory trust, and empower local economies.

This case study showcases the model’s technical, legal, and financial innovation for consideration by key regional policymakers — including the Ministers of Finance, Economy, and Transport across Southern Africa, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya — as a pathway to replicate and scale across the continent.

From Feasibility to Financial Innovation

In 2019, Invest Gains Capital launched an extensive Feasibility Study (FS) to bridge three critical forces:

  • Investor confidence,

  • Governmental accountability, and

  • Technological transparency.

The FS explored how decentralized finance tools, tokenized securities, and sustainability verification could reshape how infrastructure is funded.

The first inspiration came from Lobito, Angola — a city whose trade corridor represented Africa’s untapped potential for cross-border energy, logistics, and digital integration. That concept became the intellectual backbone for a continent-wide model: finance that is transparent, inclusive, and scalable.

Prince Albert Solar PV (South Africa) - the pilot project

Core Design

The Prince Albert Solar PV Plant (10MW, scalable) is located in the Western Cape of South Africa and stands as the proof of concept for tokenized energy financing.

  • Total CapEx: ZAR 168 million (USD 9 million equivalent)

  • Financing Structure: 70:30 debt-to-equity (equity requirement USD2.7m)

  • Instrument: Green Digital Bond

  • PPA: 20-year fixed tariff, escalating 6% annually

  • Projected IRR: 13.8% (leveraged)

  • Community Impact: 85,000 residents to benefit; 45% tariff reduction vs Eskom; 375 jobs created

  • Offtake Agreement: 20-year fixed-tariff PPA with municipality/3rd-party offtaker 

  • Starting Tariff: ZAR 0.95/kWh with 6% annual escalation 

  • Payback Period: 8.5 years 

  • Total Savings Delivered: ZAR 1.275 billion (~USD 74m over 20 years) 

This model provides governments and investors with a transparent lifecycle — from structuring to issuance, through to repayment and ESG reporting — all supported by regulated digital infrastructure.

Strategic Partners and Institutional Strength

The pilot is backed by a coalition of globally recognized partners, each responsible for a critical element of credibility, governance, and risk assurance:

Partner

Core Function

Contribution

Marsh (S&P)

Risk & Insurance

Political, construction, and credit risk mitigation to enhance investor confidence

CMS Law

Legal Architecture

Structuring enforceable digital bond frameworks compliant with FCA, EU, and FSCA standards

Government Blockchain Association (GBA)

Technology Standards

Applying the Blockchain Maturity Model (BMM) for transparency and auditability

Black Wallet (KirosCoin)

Tokenisation & Inclusion

Enabling digital wallets and token-based settlements for investors and local communities

Assetera Marketplace

Digital Issuance Platform

Providing secure onboarding, KYC/AML verification, and marketplace visibility for investors

Scalar International

Project Ownership & Fund Management

Anchoring the Prince Albert pilot under Luxembourg-regulated fund governance

London Stock Exchange (LSE) & Custodians

Regulatory Expansion

Developing frameworks for cross-border listing and custodial oversight of tokenised securities

This multi-stakeholder setup ensures financial legitimacy, technical resilience, and compliance alignment across multiple jurisdictions — a first of its kind for Africa’s green finance landscape.

Why This Matters for Ministers and Regulators

For Ministers and Central Banks, the Prince Albert model delivers measurable value on multiple policy fronts:

Dimension

Governmental Impact

Strategic Benefit

Energy Sovereignty

Reduces reliance on central grids; supports decentralised power generation

Local energy independence

Financial Innovation

Demonstrates a regulated pathway for tokenised green financing

Foundation for digital bond or sukuk frameworks

Capital Mobilisation

Attracts international investors through transparent, verified structures

Expands fiscal space without increasing sovereign debt

ESG and Sustainability

Tracks environmental impact through on-chain reporting

Enhances compliance with Paris Agreement & SDG goals

Job Creation & Inclusion

Encourages local ownership and SME participation

Strengthens social impact metrics

This pilot provides a replicable national framework for countries seeking to modernise infrastructure financing while maintaining transparency and regulatory oversight.

Bridging Traditional and Digital Finance

The project introduces a hybrid structure that integrates:

  1. Traditional financial safeguards — legal trust deeds, custodial controls, and Marsh insurance.

  2. Digital efficiencies — blockchain-based issuance, on-chain ESG reporting, and automated interest/redemption execution.

  3. Institutional governance — CMS legal structure, Scalar International fund management, and Deutsche Bank custodial support.

This dual structure makes it compliant, auditable, and ready for scaling — creating a bridge between classical banking systems and the emerging digital asset economy.

Pathway for Government Replication

“Prince Albert is more than a power project — it is a demonstration of what transparent, tokenised finance can do for Africa’s sustainable future.”

Through this pilot, Invest Gains Capital, Scalar International, and their global partners are not only proving a financial model — they are building a governance framework that can be adopted by sovereign ministries and central banks to channel private capital into national development.

IGC and Scalar propose to replicate this model for ministerial partners through:

  • Workshops with Ministries of Finance and Central Banks to adapt digital bond frameworks to local regulations.

  • Pilot feasibility studies tailored to each country’s priority projects (energy, housing, logistics).

  • Integration with regional exchanges and custodians for compliant listing and investor distribution.

  • Cooperation with national insurance regulators (via Marsh) to embed risk cover into financing structures.

Conclusion: Ministers and Central Banks

We invite:

  • Ministers of Finance & Economy to engage in structured discussions on adopting this digital green finance framework.

  • Central Banks to collaborate on developing regulatory sandboxes for digital bond issuance.

  • Development partners to join the Prince Albert model as co-investors or replicators across Angola, Zambia, Kenya, and beyond.

This collaboration can transform how African nations finance energy, infrastructure, and social impact — moving from feasibility to measurable prosperity.

Prepared by:

Invest Gains Capital
In partnership with Scalar International and the supporting ecosystem of Marsh, CMS Law, GBA, Assetera, and Black Wallet.