From blueprint to breakthrough:
How our Surety Bonds and Guarantees are helping to power Europe’s energy transition

By Allianz Trade editorial team   - Published on 13 August 2026

Discover how our surety solutions guarantee performance and bring confidence to renewable energy projects at every stage of development. 

Large-scale infrastructure projects don't begin with construction – they are won or lost during the tender process. Before a renewable energy project starts, every stakeholder needs to feel confident that the project can succeed. Developers need to secure financing, investors need assurance that contractual obligations will be met, and project owners need to know that the contractors they hire have the capability and financial capacity to deliver.

At Allianz Trade, we believe that the true value of our Surety Bonds and Guarantees isn’t in what they protect against, but in what they make possible. A surety bond is a three-party promise to perform: the contractor commits to meeting its obligations, while we stand behind that commitment to the beneficiary, backed by the financial strength of the Allianz Group. Rather than preparing for failure, our Surety Bonds and Guarantees enable progress by giving everyone involved in the project the confidence to move to the next stage.

That distinction is particularly important in renewable energy, where projects involve significant upfront investment, multiple stakeholders – often working across borders – and tight delivery schedules. Before construction can begin, developers need to demonstrate that their technical capability is matched by their financial credibility, with trust underpinning every commitment before contracts are awarded and work can start. 

Laura Cremona, Allianz Trade’s Head of Surety in the MMEA region, describes an Italian solar farm project we supported as the “perfect example” of this confidence in action. “From the first stages of development,” she says, “we provided performance-backed guarantees to help the developers build trust with investors, project owners and all other stakeholders, laying the foundations for everything that followed.”  

With contracts secured and the confidence to build, construction can start. At this point, speed and agility become key. Renewable energy projects are built to demanding schedules, where delays can have significant financial and operational impacts. To transition from planning to construction and keep the work moving, you need the right guarantees in place. 

This is where our Performance Bonds come into play. Issued before construction starts, they provide project owners with the assurance that contractors will deliver on their contractual commitments throughout the project duration. For our Italian solar project, that support began on the first day of construction through to the Preliminary Acceptance Certificate – the milestone at which the plant starts generating electricity – and onwards to the Final Acceptance Certificate, the awarding of which means all contractual obligations have been met. 

Providing those guarantees at pace requires more than our financial strength. It also depends on the way we work. Rather than operating in silos, our legal, commercial and risk specialists work as one team, sharing expertise and making decisions quickly. This collaborative approach allows us to respond with the speed needed to maintain momentum during construction and help get complex renewable energy projects operational.  

The same model has helped us to support major renewable projects globally. On a landmark offshore wind project involving French and Italian partners, we arranged guarantees across multiple countries, making sure bonds were issued within a narrow construction window. Despite the different technologies, in both projects the same outcome was reached. Decisions were coordinated centrally to keep the project moving forward. 

Ultimately, projects move quickly because the people behind them do. By combining our global expertise, deep local knowledge and our collaborative approach, we help all project stakeholders turn planning into progress without losing momentum.

Reaching the point at which a solar farm starts generating electricity is a significant milestone – but it isn't the end of the journey. Renewable energy projects are built to last for decades, and it is important to maintain confidence throughout their lifecycle – not just at the beginning. 

In Italy, when the solar farm moved from construction into operation, we continued to stand behind contractor commitments. Our Warranty Bonds provided assurance during the 24-month period between Preliminary and Final Acceptance, guaranteeing that any contractual obligations relating to quality or repairs would be honoured. Once the plant was fully operational, our Operation & Maintenance (O&M) Guarantees supported the ongoing monitoring and maintenance needed to keep the site performing at its best.

For investors and project owners, that continuity matters. A solar farm is a long-term investment, and confidence depends on knowing that the commitments made during construction will continue to be honoured throughout the project’s operational life.

This is where we offer a distinct advantage. Backed by the financial strength of the Allianz Group, we can support long-lasting and strategic projects. That long-term stability gives clients confidence that the bonds and guarantees underpinning the project today will still be there years from now. 

Our commitment to the global transition to renewable energy goes beyond our coverage. We commit to holding equal or greater amounts of net annual premiums generated from eligible low-carbon technology projects as investments in certified green bonds, creating a virtuous circle that supports further sustainable investment.

Every renewable energy project eventually reaches the end of its operational life. But even this final chapter begins much earlier than many people realise.

Issued at the start of construction, our Decommissioning Bonds guarantee that, when the time comes, the site will be safely restored in line with its contractual and regulatory obligations. For project owners, investors and public authorities, they provide confidence that the project has been planned responsibly from beginning to end.

Just as importantly, it allows developers to keep looking ahead. Because our insurance-based guarantees don’t impact bank credit lines, our customers preserve valuable liquidity throughout the project's lifetime. Rather than tying up working capital, potentially for decades, they can maintain the financial flexibility needed to invest in new opportunities and bid for future projects.   

In Italy, that looks like repowering the solar farm at the end of its lifecycle. After 20 years, the plant’s existing infrastructure will be renewed with the latest technology, increasing efficiency and generating more capacity while keeping the value of the original investment. With our support, the end of one renewable project becomes the beginning of another. 

It’s the thread running through every stage of the solar farm’s lifecycle. From the initial tender, construction, and years of operation, through to decommissioning and the project’s eventual renewal, we bring confidence so that each phase can lead naturally into the next.

The energy transition needs more than technology and innovation to succeed. It also needs confidence and trust between networks of stakeholders working closely together. 

In Italy, our journey with the solar farm project shows that confidence isn't needed at just one stage of a renewable energy project – it's what carries it from tender and construction through years of operation, maintenance, renewal and beyond. At every milestone, we supported progress by standing behind contractual commitments, helping developers, contractors, investors and project owners move forward with the performance guarantees they needed. 

In the jungle of global business, it’s the support of hidden networks that enable you to thrive. At Allianz Trade, we don't just issue Surety Bonds and Guarantees. We provide the confidence for projects to start, continue, endure and evolve, creating a lasting impact for the benefit of all involved.