SOURCE is a monthly solar project finance journal that our team distributes to our network of clients and solar stakeholders. Our newsletter contains solar statistics from current real-life solar projects, trends, and observations gained through monthly interviews with our solar project finance team, and it incorporates news from a variety of industry resources.
Below, we have included excerpts from the June 2015 edition. To receive future Journals, please email pr@solsystems.com.
PROJECT FINANCE STATISTICS
The following statistics represent some high-quality solar projects and portfolios that we are actively reviewing for investment.
- *Our all-in price statistics exclude projects from Ontario, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico where all-in prices remain over $3.50/W.
STATE MARKETS
California: Because you know it’s all about that rate, ‘bout that rate… The gold rush is here. Already, 184MW out of the eligible 400MW have been filled for Southern California Edison’s (SCE) Option R rate. Remember, Option R allows developers to better pitch ROI to hosts by focusing on Time of Use (TOU) rate charges instead of demand charges. Get it while you can; we expect the remaining 200MW+ to fill up quickly. Meanwhile, Pacific Gas and Electric’s (PG&E) Option R became available on June 1; look for that to open the market for commercial solar projects in PG&E territory. Unlike Option R in SCE territory, PG&E’s has no cap on the number of customers or megawatts.
New Jersey: We are consistently surprised by the lack of commercial-scale pipeline coming out of New Jersey. Perhaps many hosts are opting for cash purchases instead of third-party financed deals. Or perhaps developers look at the $225 SREC prices of today and long for the $600/mWh pricing from yesteryear. Maybe more third-party financed deals going to leases? We’re stumped; you tell us. Meanwhile, the Garden State seems particularly primed for merchant opportunities.
Rhode Island: Unfazed after falling slightly short of its goal to procure 40MW of renewable energy by 2014, the Ocean State upped the ante with an even more ambitious goal: 25MW of renewable energy for 2015, increasing to 40MW each year for 2016-2018. Applications for small-scale solar (<25kW) opened up on June 15, while applications for projects 26kW – 5MW will be accepted between August 3 and 14. Take note, highly creditworthy utility off-take and above-market rates in this state will continue to appeal to investors. We strongly suggest this market for Northeastern developers, especially as Massachusetts remains stalled, and New York has fallen short of expectations. There’s much to consider for this state that runs only 48 miles long and 37 miles wide.
SOLAR CHATTER
- Ready, set, go! Bids for 15-year Connecticut ZREC contracts are due on June 18th at 1pm. We expect for LREC and ZREC pricing to ultimately get closer to the price of Class I RECs.
- Residual value is a hot topic among financiers who realize that they must take into account the value of the asset once the PPA expires in order to maintain their competitive edge over the other sources of capital flooding the space. How does Emilio Estevez feel about this?
- This is your monthly reminder that Maryland is the best market where nobody else is doing business. Hint, hint.
- Watch for the Illinois solar market to pop now that its first SREC procurement deadline has passed. Subsequent rounds will take place in November 2015 and March 2016. Meanwhile, pending legislation pushes for a longer term, more robust solar market in the Land of Lincoln.
- Vermont has been gaining traction among developers for its high electricity prices, SPEED program, and Green Mountain Power’s solar adder for projects under 500kW AC. The challenge with the Green Mountain Power program, however, is that its floating rate PPA structure spells out risk to many investors. To increase the likelihood that these deals are financed, put a floor in the PPA to make the investor more comfortable with underwriting the deal.
- The latest Solar Market Insight report showed that residential and utility-scale solar each added more capacity than the natural gas industry brought online in Q1 2015.
- The verdict is still out on Massachusetts net metering, though many in the industry are cautiously optimistic that a solution will be put in place to keep the industry going until the end of 2016. Support is strong in the state senate, while the support from state house of representatives is questionable. In the meantime, developers should look into NSTAR territory.
- According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), 6.5% of 2015 global GDP – or approximately $5.3 trillion – will subsidize fossil fuel use. Hopefully that will put the solar-haters to rest.
- Got a project in PJM territory that wouldn’t mind a little cash flow boost? Sol Systems is offering compelling SREC contract to projects in PJM territory; some North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, and even Virginia projects are eligible. Contact srecs@solsystems.com for more information.
ABOUT SOL SYSTEMS
Sol Systems is a solar energy finance and investment firm. The company has facilitated financing for 200MW solar projects on behalf of Fortune 100 corporations, insurance companies, utilities, banks, family offices, and individuals. Sol Systems provides secure, sustainable investment opportunities to investor clients, and sophisticated project financing solutions to developers. The company’s tailored financial services range from tax structured investments and project acquisition, to debt financing and SREC portfolio management. Inc. Magazine named Sol Systems on its annual Inc. 500 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies for a second consecutive year, ranking it No. 6 in the nation’s top solar companies in 2014. For more information, please visit www.solsystems.com.
