EnergyWakeup – Episode 4 – Interview With Conor McKenna From CohnReznick Capital Markets

This episode is sponsored by Conductive Capital, a distributed generation platform with tax efficient capital.

In this episode we speak with Conor McKenna, Managing Director at CohnReznick Capital Market Securities. Conor advised a $78 million tax equity investment for the Crescent Dunes Solar Project by SolarReserve. The innovation here is that the Crescent Dunes solar project uses molten salt energy storage technology from the SolarReserve concentrating solar tower site.

Conor gives us some details on the deal structure, how tax equity got comfortable with the risk of the technology and sponsor. The investors also used a tax equity structure becoming more common than the fixed time flip that many investors have used in the past.

We couldn’t leave the interview without asking Conor about his thoughts on tax reform and how it could impact the markets. What would happen if tax rates are lowered and how investors view that potential risk in their model.

At the end, he shares some thoughts about what gets him most excited in 2017, and it has to do with lowering the cost of capital. Listen now!

EnergyWakeup – Episode 3 – Interview with SEIA President, Abby Hopper, and Bryan explains what NV Energy is really doing

In this Episode, sponsored by Conductive Capital, Yann and Bryan cover a wide range of important topics for the solar and cleantech industry. Yann interviews Abby Hopper, the new SEIA CEO and President, who joins the solar industry after leading the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. We cover her vision for SEIA, how to get new members to join and if she sees SEIA working with EEI, the utility’s lobbying group.

Bryan and Yann go into the nominating hearings of Scott Pruitt, and why the environmental groups are trying to make him the target, why the nominees are normalizing Rex Tillerson, a man that is synonymous with Exxon, and Rick Perry’s continuing ability to make soundbites for SNL.

At the State level, Bryan covers what is actually happening in Nevada with NV Energy’s latest filing and if it really matters. Yann argues that the solar industry may be getting too soft when it comes to playing politics.

Listen to the Episode and subscribe on iTunes, Soundcloud or Stitcher. This episode was supported by Conductive Capital, a distributed generation platform looking to acquire your projects.

EnergyWakeup – Episode 2 – Bryan and I discuss the Trump Energy Cabinet and the fight in Arizona

In this episode, Bryan and I go over the latest in the Trump cabinet and how those picks affect the solar and cleantech space. When it comes to politics, there are inside and outside influences that can affect the outcome, listen to this episode to see where companies should be paying attention. California is transitioning to NEM 2.0 and Arizona may be setting a precedent on how utilities could slow play their attacks on solar.

This episode is sponsored by MMA Energy Capital, provider of development, construction and project level debt. If you are searching for a great partner with capital, let them know you heard about them on EnergyWakeup.