Shams Power Company has recently announced the financial close of Shams 1, one of the world’s largest concentrated solar power (CSP) projects and the first of its kind in the Middle East.TheUS$600 million closingmarks the largest solar project transaction to date and combines financing from 10 regional and international lenders.

Demonstrating strong interest from lenders,the financing –a non-recourse 22-year door-to-door fully amortizing structure – was oversubscribed with commitments totalling more than US$900 million.Shams 1 lenders included BNP Paribas, KfW, Mizuho, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Natixis, SociétéGénérale, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, The Bank of Toyko-Mitsubishi, Union National Bank and WestLB. BNP Paribas acted as financial advisor.

“The dynamic deal team was able to leverage knowledge across the sponsor group resulting in an innovative structuring and a ground-breaking financing for a landmark deal,” said Derek Rozycki, Executive Director, Structured Finance and Capital Markets at Mubadala, the parent company of Masdar. “Going forward, we will continue to leverage our extensive expertise in international capital markets and our knowledge of the region to support these types of leading edge financing deals.”

The joint venture between Masdar (60%), Total (20%) and Abengoa (20%) will develop, build, operate and maintain the plant which will be located in MadinatZayed, approximately 120 kilometres southwest of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“With this financial close we are going one step forward toward the completion of the Middle East’s largest solar power plant,” said Philippe Boisseau, President, Total Gas & Power. “We are pleased to partner with Masdar and Abengoa in this ambitious project. We are on schedule and the work is going well in MadinatZayed.”

As one of Masdar’s flagship projects, Shams 1 will directly contribute toward Abu Dhabi’s target of achieving 7% renewable energy power generation capacity by the year 2020.

Dr. Sultan Al-Jaber, CEO of Masdar, added: “Shams 1 is a milestone project for the region and will be a core contributor to Abu Dhabi’s long-term renewable energy objectives. As the first utility scale, commercial solar power project in the Middle East, Shams 1 represents the realization of the vision that the Abu Dhabi leadership has for renewable energy in the Emirate. We thank our partners for their support and continued collaboration.”

Further validating the strength of the project, Shams 1 was recently awarded the “Middle East Renewables Deal of the Year 2010” by Project Finance.

Shams 1 will be one of the largest concentrated solar power plants in the world, extending over an area of 2.5 km², with a capacity of approximately 100 MW and a solar field consisting of 768 parabolic trough collectors. Construction began during Q3 2010 and is expected to be completed in approximately two years.

About the Technology

Based on Abengoa’s best-in-class solar technology, the Shams 1 technology is unique. It is the result of a strong technical cooperation between Masdar, Total and Abengoa. Focused sunlight, concentrated by mirrors, heats a coolant which then generates high-pressure steam that drives a conventional steam turbine. It generates solar thermal electricity, an efficient, reliable and clean solution.

About MASDAR

Masdar is Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted initiative advancing the development, commercialisation and deployment of renewable and alternative energy technologies and solutions. The company serves as a link between today’s fossil fuel economy and the energy economy of the future – developing the “greenprint” for how we will live and work tomorrow. Backed by the stability and reputation of the Mubadala Development Company, an investment vehicle of the government of Abu Dhabi, Masdar is dedicated to the emirate’s long-term vision for the future of energy.

For more information about the Masdar Initiative, please visit: www.masdar.ae

About Mubadala Development Company

Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala) is a catalyst for the economic diversification of Abu Dhabi. Established and owned by the Government of Abu Dhabi, the company’s strategy is built on the creation of partnerships and on long-term, capital-intensive investments that deliver strong financial returns and tangible social benefits for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and that contribute to the growth and diversification of its economy.

Mubadala brings together and manages a multi-billion dollar portfolio of local, regional and international investments and partners with leading global organizations to operate businesses across a wide range of industry sectors. These include aerospace, energy, healthcare, information communications and technology, infrastructure, real estate and hospitality, and services ventures. For more information about Mubadala please visit: http://www.mubadala.ae.

About Total

Total is one of the world’s major oil and gas groups, with activities in more than 130 countries. Its 97,000 employees put their expertise to work in every part of the industry – exploration and production of oil and natural gas, refining and marketing, gas & power and trading. Total is working to keep the world supplied with energy, both today and tomorrow. The Group is also a first rank player in chemicals.

Total has been active in solar energy since 1983 through its interests in two companies, Photovoltech and Tenesol. Photovoltech, in which Total holds a 50% interest alongside GDF-Suez, produces photovoltaic cells based on a crystalline silicon technology. Tenesol, in which Total holds a 50% stake alongside EDF, specializes in designing, manufacturing, marketing and operating photovoltaic solar energy systems.

In December 2008, Total became the largest shareholder in U.S. start-up Konarka, which develops products based on organic solar technologies. Total’s stake is now nearly 25%.

Total is also conducting significant R&D through partnerships with world-class laboratories in France, such as the Laboratoire de Physique des Interfaces et des Couches Minces (LPICM – Interface and Thin Film Physics Laboratory) at the EcolePolytechnique engineering school and the Toulouse-basedLaboratory for Analysis and Architecture of Systems (LAAS), as well as in the United States, Switzerland, Belgium and Germany.

About Abengoa

Abengoa (MCE: ABG) is an international company that applies innovative technology solutions to sustainable development in the energy and environment sectors, generating energy from the sun, producing biofuels, desalinating sea water and recycling industrial waste. (www.abengoa.com).

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