Copia Power, a renewable development service formed in 2021 by Carlyle, has merged with Birch Infrastructure‘s renewable energy business, building on a multi-year partnership between the two firms.

Copia aims to strengthen its service and reconnect a leadership team that has developed and constructed approximately 3.5 GW of renewable assets together. Construction on the first 450 mega-watt, alternating current project in the west is expected to begin in early 2023. Ray Henger, former chief development officer of SPower, will serve as chief executive officer of Copia Power.

“The completion of this merger marks a significant milestone and positions Copia to execute on its targeted large-scale renewable development strategy in the U.S. that Carlyle sought to build when we launched Copia almost two years ago,” comments David Gluck, Copia Power board member and a principal on Carlyle’s global infrastructure team.