Designed to overcome financial and technical barriers associated with adopting solar energy, Release is a flexible leasing agreement of pre-assembled solar PV and battery equipment to deliver a low cost, clean, and reliable power solution. Release is owned by Scatec ASA (68%) and Climate Fund Managers (CFM) (32%) via its EU-supported Climate Investor One Fund, a USD 1 billion blended finance facility focused on renewable energy infrastructure in emerging markets.
With a focus on removing traditional barriers to renewable energy adoption, Release aims to create impact where it is needed most, helping customers seamlessly transition to sustainable power solutions.
Management Team
Meet our dynamic and experienced management team driving innovation and excellence.
Hans Olav Kvalvaag
Chief Executive Officer
Hans Olav Kvalvaag is the initiator and CEO for Release. He joined Scatec in June 2015 as VP business development responsible for Americas. He was in charge of the disposal of Scatec’s 100+ MW portfolio in the US and for the development of the portfolio in Latin-America and the cooperation with Equinor. Kvalvaag has also been actively involved in the project management of Scatec’s Egyptian portfolio as well being responsible for New Ventures across technologies and business models for Scatec since 2018. Kvalvaag is a lawyer by training and graduated from the University of Oslo in 2000. Before Scatec he worked as a consultant at McKinsey, a lawyer in Selmer and held various management positions in Norsk Hydro and in Ard Group.
Torstein Berntsen
Chief Financial Officer
Torstein Berntsen took up the CFO position in Release on October 1, 2023. He has extensive experience from developing, financing, and managing renewable energy projects. Prior to joining Release, he was a member of the Executive Management team in the Scatec group. Before joining Scatec, he had more than 10 years of experience within auditing and business advisory services from Arthur Andersen and later Ernst & Young, where he served a variety of Norwegian and international clients in various industries, including some of the major listed companies in Norway. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Business Administration from the Norwegian School of Economics and is a State Authorized Public Accountant in Norway.
Roberto Berardo
Senior Vice President Mining and Industry
Roberto Berardo is the SVP for Mining and Industries. He joined Scatec in March 2013, in South Africa as the Project Manager for the execution of the Linde Project. He led the origination and closing of the Mocuba Project in Mozambique amongst other developments in Middle East and Africa. Before joining Scatec, he was an Investment Associate for NextEnergy Capital, a leading private equity investor and asset owner. Roberto graduated in Engineering for Solar Technologies at the Technische Universitaet of Berlin.
Clémentine Bruguière-Cossé
General Counsel
Clémentine Bruguière-Cossé is Release’s General Counsel since April 2022, having joined Scatec in 2021. She has over 15 years of experience working with companies globally. Before joining Scatec Clémentine worked for Proparco, Crédit Agricole Leasing & Factoring, RBS (Markets and International Banking) and major French and International law firms prominent in the field of renewable energies.
Arnaud Gouet
Senior Vice President Utilities
Arnaud Gouet is the SVP for Business Development Utilities. He joined Scatec in 2020 after having been working for more than 20 years in the energy business with a large focus in Africa. Arnaud held key positions in leading companies such as Trina Solar and Wartsila, showcasing his prowess in the energy sector. Arnaud is a graduate in International Business.
Abri Stegmann
Chief Engineer
Abri Stegmann is the Chief Engineer of Release. He is an electrical systems engineer and obtained his bachelor and masters engineering degrees from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. Has been an integral part of the Scatec organization for over 12 years, the last 5 of which was spent helping establish Release’s engineering and technology function. The majority of his professional experience has been the renewable energy sector, both solar and wind energy and energy storage. He has been involved in various large utility scale projects totaling over 700MW of power generation capacity and has worked globally in markets ranging from South-East Asia, MENA and sub-Saharan Africa.
