Financing Renewable Energy in New Jersey

Transcription

1 Financing Renewable Energy in New Jersey Renewable Energy Procurement Workshop Sustainable Jersey and the Atlantic County Utilities Authority

2 Presenters Douglas J. Bacher, Managing Director Dianna C. Geist, Senior Vice President NW Financial Group, LLC 3000 Atrium Way Suite 240 Mount Laurel, NJ

3 Renewable Energy The threat of global warming along with the scarcity and rising cost of fossil fuels has generated a movement towards Renewable Energy. What is Renewable Energy? Natural resources with no limited supply Sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat. Technologies implementing these principals: Solar power Wind power Hydroelectricity / Micro Hydro Biomass and Biofuels

4 Economic Reduces electric bill Benefits Stabilizes future energy costs Generates income through SRECs (Solar Renewable Energy Credits) Reduction of fossil fuel consumption Social Creates jobs and economic growth Public education and awareness Web based interactive data collection Teaching tool for math and natural sciences

5 Acquiring Renewable Energy Things to Consider. Users of system Public / Private Facility use / Energy to grid System size & design Energy audit Roof / Facility useful life Parking lot / garage / ground mount Ownership Public / Private Maintenance Budget Community Support Risk

6 Roof warranties Risks to Consider Production Output Warranties Operations & Maintenance impact on risk Engineering and Construction impact on risk SREC Risk 20+ Year Life of Project who owns the risk at each stage

7 Issues to Consider Land Use Green Acres Preserved Farm Land Landfills Procurement Rules 15 year limit on contracts for towns, counties and independent authorities 30 year limit on State Colleges and Universities Roof integrity

8 Acquiring Renewable Energy Options: Owning - Issuance of debt Power Purchase Agreements Hybrid Models (Morris Model)

9 Owning the Asset Facility / Roof repairs Controlling Schedule Need to bid for installation

10 Owning the Asset Own, Operate, and Maintain the asset Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs) Tradable certificates that represent the clean energy benefits of electricity Can be sold to electric suppliers 1 SREC = 1000 kw h of solar electricity 10 kw capacity = ~12 SRECs per year 1 SREC currently trades $673 as of June 3 rd, 2010 SREC revenue can be 50% of the cost of the project Debt Service Cost Apply annual energy savings Utilize revenues from the sale of SRECs

11 Owning the Asset Issuing Bonds: Determine project cost Authorize and issue long-term general obligation debt for the acquisition and installation of equipment o Low cost tax-exempt bonds Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) Tax credit bonds in which interest is paid for by the Federal government in the form of tax credit to investors Effective 0% interest rate to the issuer Requires allocation from U.S. Treasury May require issuance of a short-term note

12 Power Purchase Agreements Use of third party, the solar developer, or Provider Selection of the Provider (power purchase agreement) is required to be competitively bid by public entities electing to enter into the agreements. The Provider takes on the risk and responsibility of financing, installing, and maintaining the solar project Public entities providing the space will purchase the electricity generated for a maximum of 15 years under the agreement Provides lower energy cost to public entities without owning the equipment Public entities forfeit the SRECs to the Provider

13 Hybrid Model Public / Private Structure designed to: Take advantage of a lower cost of capital (public issuance of taxable debt) Through lower cost of energy, allows participating entities to realize the benefits of SRECs revenue, tax credit, and accelerated depreciation No private debt issuance Utilization of a conduit issuer County Guaranty Low cost municipal borrowing Tax-exempt or Taxable bond issuance Provides for the developer to own the asset May qualify as issuance of Recovery Zone Facility Bonds Private activity bonds without purpose restrictions can be used for a wide variety of projects located in a designated economic recovery zone The IRS has allocated amounts to New Jersey counties which could be used to finance energy bonds

14 Hybrid Model Single competitive bid of Power Purchase Agreement Provider Required by DCA Conduit Issuer can issue a single RFP for participating entities Provides for single, master PPA

15 General Structure Hybrid Model Conduit issuer hires professional team (RFP for energy consultant) Conduit issuer develops and issues a RFP for PPA provider Conduit issuer sells taxable debt for design, project, and issuance costs Renewable energy projects nominally owned by issuer, through lease passes on all benefits and burdens of ownership to PPA provider Participating entities enter into a PPA with provider agreeing to pay for electric costs, over 15 years, at a below market price County guarantees debt (lower costs of capital) Letter of credit reimburses county if county guaranty is called

16 Issues to Consider Renewable Portfolio Standard Risks to Consider Issues on the Horizon Legislative Overview

17 Questions?? Doug Bacher, Managing Director Dianna Geist, Senior Vice President