[vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”A little background…” google_fonts=”font_family:Indie%20Flower%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]Having spent over 10 years in the renewable energy field we’ve seen many different sides to the industry and had the opportunity to be involved in every aspect of project development from feasibility studies through to turbine commissioning.
With a background in finance and accounting, our project involvement began by developing financial models for potential projects, combining all of the different variables that determine the success of a project to determine financial feasibility.
Project finances are important but the broader economic impact of projects can also be of interest. We’ve been able to estimate the economic impact of wind project development at the county level for several counties in the midwestern United States. Renewable energy is good not just for project sponsors and ratepayers but communities as well, offering an alternative source of revenue for farming towns that are increasingly stretched thin.
One of the most important parts of the project’s financial model is the estimated production. This value can only be determined by analyzing the different aspects of project siting, interconnection, and site-specific resource factors. Using this information, the optimal project configuration can be determined. We have had the opportunity to work on resource assessments ranging from 50kW behind-the-meter wind and solar projects to equator-straddling wind farms.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”The Opportunity” google_fonts=”font_family:Indie%20Flower%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]There are many different sections of the renewable energy industry. News coverage tends to focus on the big projects: the wind farms, power purchase agreements, offshore wind, technology advancements and the like. There is much more to the industry though. We’ve had the opportunity to assess many different projects over the years that could have been quite successful.
A successful renewable energy project requires the alignment of many different variables. An area with excellent wind located a sizable distance from a point of interconnection doesn’t make for a very strong potential project.
There are a number of smaller project opportunities that exist in the United States. They have a solid wind or solar resource and are close to appropriate interconnection points. They have enthusiastic project sponsors. They have everything except for the financial wherewithal to get off the drawing board.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Our Solution” google_fonts=”font_family:Indie%20Flower%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][vc_column_text]This country is full of potential renewable energy projects that could be brought online relatively quickly. Our solution is to bring together project sponsors with appropriate financing opportunities to increase access to renewable energy throughout the country. We are uniquely positioned to evaluate project feasibility and bring renewable projects online that would otherwise not be developed.
We take a risk-reduction approach to projects. Each step in our development process removes elements of risk. The three biggest road blocks to a successful project are: energy resource, interconnection, and financing. After modeling the energy resource we can make conservative predictions about project output. By focusing on projects for sponsors that are seeking to offset a significant facility energy load, we can avoid the challenges associated with trying to put renewable energy onto the wholesale market. By combining innovative financing we can offer a solid return to project investors and reductions in cost to project sponsors. Credit risk is reduced by working with municipal and state entities including county utility providers and school districts.
We use a community approach to project financing so that everybody can have an opportunity to participate in the benefits of renewable energy development. Historically the benefits of project investment have fallen to large banks and individual project sponsors and financiers. We are seeking to expand the opportunity to everyone by making participation in project financing a crowdfunded effort.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]