News: E&C acquires Apala Group to expand global capabilities

Transaction strengthens presence in Asia, Latin America and the US while enhancing sustainability services

 KORTRIJK, Belgium / TORONTO, Canada / SAN FRANCISCO, US. The E&C Group has announced the acquisition of Apala Group,  a sustainability and clean energy consultancy firm with a strong presence in Asia Pacific, Latin America and the US, headquartered in San Francisco, California (US). The transaction marks a strategic step to create a more comprehensive, globally integrated platform for energy procurement and  sustainability services.

The acquisition combines E&C Group’s deep expertise in energy markets, regulation and procurement strategy with Apala Group’s proven capabilities in renewable energy sourcing, sustainability, carbon project development and supply-chain decarbonization. The expanded E&C Group will offer clients a fully integrated, end-to-end approach to clean energy procurement and sustainability across the world.

Strengthening global energy procurement

Operationally, the integration of Apala Group significantly enhances E&C Group’s ability to support organizations navigating increasingly complex energy procurement landscapes. Industries will benefit from:

• Expanded geographic reach, with boots on the ground in Asia Pacific and Latin America, two of the fastest-growing and most dynamic energy markets globally.
• Enhanced end-to-end energy procurement support, building on our proven market intelligence and procurement strategy with expanded PPA structuring, negotiation and implementation capabilities.
• New integrated sustainability and decarbonization solutions, combining our renewable energy procurement expertise with broader climate, carbon and Scope 3 reduction strategies.
• Deeper market and regulatory insight, leveraging our established energy market expertise alongside new sustainable compliance capabilities to enable clients to make informed, resilient procurement decisions in volatile and evolving energy markets. 

Organizations working with E&C Group gain seamless access to renewable energy procurement and sustainability expertise across critical markets. Whether structuring a corporate PPA in Vietnam, managing Scope 3 emissions across Latin American operations, or integrating renewable strategy with carbon goals in the U.S. or Mexico; clients now have a single, globally coordinated partner with deep local expertise.

The acquisition immediately expands E&C's client portfolio to include leading U.S. technology companies and global enterprises with complex, multi-region sustainability mandates.

Orrin Cook, Managing Director of Apala Group, together with Jens Lievens, CEO of E&C Group, in a recent meeting in Mexico City (Mexico)

Addressing a growing gap in the market

This acquisition comes at a critical inflection point for global energy markets. As corporations face mounting pressure from investors, regulators and stakeholders to decarbonize operations, the complexity of executing credible clean energy strategies across multiple geographies has become a significant barrier to progress. With renewable energy procurement increasingly fragmented across regions (each with distinct regulatory frameworks, grid dynamics and market maturity), organizations need sophisticated, locally informed guidance to navigate risk while achieving meaningful emissions reductions.

With this acquisition, E&C Group addresses a growing gap in the market: the ability to deliver integrated energy procurement and sustainability advice across the world's most strategic growth markets. For industries from manufacturing to technology, this enhanced capability will accelerate the pace of corporate decarbonization while supporting the broader economic transition toward resilient, low-carbon energy systems, a shift that will define competitive advantage in the coming decade.

Looking ahead

By bringing together complementary capabilities, E&C is uniquely positioned to help corporations, developers and institutions accelerate their transition to clean energy while managing risk, cost and long-term value.

"Our ambition has always been to be the leading energy partner for any company, anywhere on the planet. Today, we take a giant step forward in that mission", said Jens Lievens, CEO at E&C Group.

"For 21 years, we've built our company organically. But in Apala Group, we found a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do our first acquisition. I met all team members in person and was very impressed with the unparalleled local expertise in the critical supply chain hubs of Asia and Latin America they bring along. Apala has an impressive client base in the US tech scene, and we can now service those clients with a much more complete offering from data management, procurement, all the way to sustainability", explained Lievens. "By joining forces, we will pair their deep regional knowledge with our scalable ePoint by E&C® data platform to set a new standard in our industry".

Orrin Cook, Managing Director at Apala Group added: "We are thrilled to join forces with E&C, whose values and culture align seamlessly with ours. Having met with Jens, Benedict, and others from the E&C team over the last year, we are convinced that joining forces is in the best interests of both companies. We are excited to leverage their industry-leading energy consulting practice and ePoint data platform, to drive impact with our existing relationships. In addition, our climate and sustainability services will become available to E&C clients to facilitate a truly end-to-end service through global expertise and local market knowledge".

Following the acquisition, Apala Group will operate as an integral part of E&C Group, with continuity for clients and teams, while expanding service offerings and cross-regional collaboration.

This strategic step underscores E&C Group’s commitment to building a global leadership position in energy procurement advisory and supporting the energy transition through robust, market-driven solutions.