Thursday, May 17, 2012, 9:30am - 12:30pm EDT / Streamed Panel Discussion: 7:00am - 9:00am PDT / 10:00am - 12:00pm EDT / 16:00 - 18:00 (Paris-Frankfurt)

Given the capital-intensive, highly leveraged and complex nature of renewable energy projects, it is no surprise that 77% of developers consider financial risk to be a medium to high risk according to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (higher than for any other kind of risk e.g. technology, political, weather). Financial innovation has provided a plurality of politically and legally viable project financing options, however, the same cannot be said for the development of risk transferring and mitigating mechanisms.

Robert Fischer of the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund explains: “Most of the risks are borne by the investors directly, and are not outsourced, because there is currently no efficient price for these risks on the market”. In this meeting, we learn from experts about micro (hedging products) and macro (intra-industry collaboration) solutions for financial risk management in renewable energy projects. 

• What risks involved with raising capital are most significant for wind, solar, biomass, hydropower developers?
• What sophisticated hedging instruments are currently standardized? What hedging instruments are in the pipeline?
• Who are the biggest issuers of financial hedging instruments?
• What are the most popular risk transfer mechanisms available for renewable energy project developers?
• What areas of financing risk management are underdeveloped? How can we move towards more customized risk management products?
• What are some examples of public/private schemes that address mitigation of financial risks?
• What are longer term risk management solutions for renewable energy project financing (e.g. partnerships, mindset)
• How are developers and financiers re-adjusting their risk strategies with regard to financing with the expiration of the renewable energy tax credits?
• How are developers, brokers and financiers using REC’s and RPS’s to mitigate risk?
• What effect do downward trending natural gas prices have on RPS’s? How does this affect risk strategies for raising capital?

Speakers:

Meet the Panel  

Dimitrios Parikos, Marsh USA, Vice President, US Renewable Energy Practice

Ray Henger, OwnEnergy, CFO

Howard Siegel, Brown Rudnick, LLP, Partner, Bankruptcy and Corporate Restructuring (Moderator)

Michael Madia, RREEF Infrastructure Americas at Deutsche Bank, Director & Operating Partner

Laura Stern, Nautilus Solar, President

For more information or if you would like to be considered to speak at this event, please contact: