Sponsored by EDF Renewables

This special episode focusing on RE+ features insights from Jessica Libby, a Principal in the KPMG US Trade and Customs service line. Jessica shares her expert analysis of all the hottest topics from the conference, including the outlook for tariffs, news related to forced labor and the future of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). We also discuss the long-term prospects for key components of the Inflation Reduction Act -- regardless of which party takes the White House.

And in a lighter moment, Jessica kicks off the conversation by revealing that one of the 'must-see' things at this year's RE+ is sheep ... real, live sheep in the convention hall.

More resources from EDF Renewables
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Sponsored by KPMG and Vinson & Elkins

Chris Creed, the chief investment officer at the US Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office (LPO), joins the show to discuss how the LPO is deploying public funds and attracting private capital to energy, transportation and manufacturing projects that are advancing technologies and delivering jobs across America. Creed shares his insider perspective on how the LPO's various financial programs are helping established companies expand their operations and newer companies build what the LPO calls a 'bridge to bankability.'

Key highlights
Overall mission of the LPO - (3:42)
Projects the LPO has recently helped finance - (4:26)
Diversity of projects that apply for LPO financing - (6:50)
The differing maturity levels of companies within the LPO's portfolio - (10:13)
The philosphy behind the 'bridge to bankability' - (18:27)
The 'patient capital' of the LPO - (20:08)
How the LPO works with private investors - (22:25)
The process for LPO applicants - (24:44)

More resources from the LPO
Monthly Application Activity Report

More resources from KPMG
Turning the Tide in Scaling Renewables
Energy Institute 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy

More resources from Vinson & Elkins
Energy Transition & Clean Technology
In-Depth Insight on the Energy Transition
V&E+ - Conversations About Our Values, Views and Ventures
Vinson & Elkins' main office is located at:
845 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas 77002
+1-713-758-2222

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Sponsored by KPMG

More resources from KPMG
Transferable Tax Credits
Energy & Chemicals
Energy Institute 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy

As the financial landscape for the renewables industry continues to evolve, Luis Silva, the chief financial officer at EDF Renewables, joins the show to offer his perspective on what lies ahead for the energy transition. Luis delves into areas of focus like the Inflation Reduction Act, the cost of capital and emerging trends around how projects are being financed. We also spend a great deal of time talking about transferable tax credits. In fact, when asked to share his bold predictions … the first one Luis mentions is very much related to transferable tax credits.

Key highlights
How the financial landscape for renewables has evolved - (3:21)
Operating in the current interest rate environment - (5:06)
What are the biggest financial risks to the renewables industry right now? - (6:40)
New players in the transferable tax credit market - (8:10)
Key questions being asked around tax deals - (10:19)
Luis' views on the Inflation Reduction Act - (13:47)
Policy moves that could help the renewables industry - (17:05)
Top concerns around deal finance - (17:51)
Luis' bold predictions - (19:26)

More resources from EDF Renewables
What we do - Solar

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Sponsored by: EDF Renewables

The Inflation Reduction Act has revolutionized how the energy transition is being financed. The IRA is chock full of tax credits and other incentives designed to spur investment in renewables and one key aspect of the IRA pertains to the transferability of those tax credits. Alfred Johnson, the co-founder and CEO of Crux, joins the show to discuss how the market for transferable tax credits is taking shape. The team at Crux recently released their Mid-Year Market Intelligence Report, which details how the market for transferable tax credits is faring so far this year.

Alfred also offers his insights on how the market for transferable tax credits is set to grow -- regardless of political uncertainty -- and what firms can do to make their tax credits 'highly transactable' in a rapidly evolving market.

And finally, Alfred tells the remarkable story of how part of his inspiration to co-found Crux came from a source that is VERY familiar to listeners of this podcast.

Key highlights
Background information at Alread and the founding of Crux - (3:34)
How Crux's 2024 Mid-Year Market Intelligence Report was compiled - (6:41)
The 6 key takeaways from the Mid-Year Market Intelligence Report - (9:31)
What's driving growth in the market for transferable tax credits - (11:18)
Participation in the market expands beyond big banks and Big Tech - (14:27)
How long it takes deals to close - (15:46)
Regions where deals are originating - (17:55)
How the market is coping with political uncertainty - (19:13)
Possible headwinds the market might encounter - (20:28)
How big will the market be by 2030? - (21:56)
How organizations can make their tax credits highly transactable - (23:43)
Where Alfred got some of his inspiration to co-found Crux - (28:05)


More resources from EDF Renewables
What we do - Solar

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Sponsored by: EDF Renewables

When it comes to the utility-scale and residential solar sectors in the US, Daniel Cruise, partner at Lium Research, says current trends tell a tale of two markets. While research from the team at Lium points to a booming utility-scale market that is enjoying record construction starts, the residential market is struggling in California and beyond. Other highlights from our conversation include:

• With sourcing of solar modules a hot topic in the news, Cruise notes that NextEra is switching to Indian suppliers for many of its large scale solar projects.
• Cruise predicts 40 gigawatts of new solar will be interconnected to the grid in 2024, with an additional 50 gigawatts to follow in 2025.
• Noting a decline in the fervor surrounding overall renewables markets in the last year or two, Cruise shares his insights on suspected causes  ... and possible remedies. 

More resources from EDF Renewables
What we do - Solar

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This episode is sponsored by EDF Renewables

Rob Gramlich, the founder and president of Grid Strategies, discusses the challenges faced by the US grid in accommodating increasing demand for renewable energy sources, including power demand growth, limited grid capacity, and constraints in the interconnection process. Rob highlights the importance of building transmission infrastructure and leveraging battery storage to ease grid stress during peak summer hours. Rob also shares his perspectives on the Inflation Reduction Act's impact on clean energy, including the significance of storage tax credits and the need for transmission cost allocation policies to develop the grid. Finally, Rob emphasizes the importance of maximizing clean energy sources and leveraging energy storage to provide value in the system.

More resources from EDF Renewables
Who we serve

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With the American Clean Power Association’s brand new RECHARGE conference taking place this week in Portland, Oregon, we decided to bring on a guest who is the leader of a battery energy storage company that just so happens to be headquartered in The Rose City.  Chris Taylor, the CEO of GridStor, has been in the renewables industry for a long time, so he joins the show to discuss the origins of GridStor and how the battery sector has grown in recent years. Ahead of his appearance on the "A View From the Top - Energy Storage Leadership Fireside Chat" panel discussion at the RECHARGE conference, Chris also shares his insights about the state of the marketplace and how factors like the Inflation Reduction Act and growth in energy storage procurement among utilities and corporations are driving big interest in batteries.

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This episode is sponsored by EDF Renewables.

Leaders from across the renewable energy industry are gathered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this week for the CLEANPOWER conference. This annual gathering, hosted by the American Clean Power Association, is always a great chance to check in on the key issues and trends that are driving the energy transition. Adam Bernardi, director of renewables sales and strategy at Burns & McDonnell, joins the show to talk about what he's hearing at CLEANPOWER and out in the marketplace. Key topics from our conversation include:

• The recent filing of Anti-Dumping/Countervailing Duty (AD/CVD) petitions on U.S. imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells
• Concerns about breakers being in short supply
• Aspects of the  Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that are and aren't working well
• Robot technology at solar sites
• Workforce and apprenticeship initiatives
• Domestic content
• Shared lessons learned from Burns & McDonnell's projects
• Pop culture references to "Robocop," the Kevin Kline movie "Dave," the World Cup, the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs and ... yes ... Taylor Swift.

More resources from EDF Renewables
Who we serve

More resources from Burns & McDonnell
How to Drive Predictable Results With an Integrated EPC Team

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This episode is sponsored by KPMG

More resources from KPMG:
Transferable Tax Credits
Energy & Chemicals

It's tax season, so it's time to once again hear from Lauren Collins, a partner at the law firm of Vinson & Elkins.  Lauren has become a regular guest on this podcast as she stops by about once a year to share her insights on all the tax issues related to the Inflation Reduction Act. During our conversation, Lauren touches on an array of specific topics, including:

• Domestic content credits 
• Direct pay
• Transferable tax credits
• Energy community credits
• Credits related to hydrogen production
• And much more...

If you want to learn more about which tax aspects of the IRA are off to a great ... and which aspects might be stumbling out of the starting block, give this episode a listen.

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We can produce all the renewable energy we want, but the march to net zero will take an unnecessarily long time if all that power is being used in inefficient buildings. Buildings are responsible for about 40% of energy related carbon emissions around the world. That means any conversation about reducing emissions and achieving net-zero goals will have to feature insights about the efficient construction and – perhaps more importantly – operation of buildings.

Mark Reinbold, vice president of Global Sustainable Infrastructure at Johnson Controls, joins the show to discuss what he gleaned from attending COP28 in Dubai about how business executives and other experts are factoring infrastructure into their sustainability strategies. Mark shares some of the key findings from research Johnson Controls conducted with Forrester Consulting about smart building trends and outlines the role technologies like artificial intelligence are playing amid the expansion of the concept of net zero buildings-as-a-service.

Highlights from Mark Reinbold

Conversations about sustainability with global leaders - (2:08)
Common roadblocks to more sustainable infrastructure - (6:39)
Have global gatherings like COP and Davos 'jumped the shark'? - (8:19)
Any deal follow-up from COP28 - (10:26)
Expanding Net Zero-as-a-Service - (13:10)
Key takeaways from Forrester Research on smart building trends - (16:20)
Examples of artificial intelligence delivering for smart buildings - (19:16)
Showcase project: University of North Dakota - (23:41)
How renewable energy is factoring into projects - (26:16)

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