HARC | Houston Advanced Research Center’s Post

What might we be able to tell about the Government's plans from its initial actions? - Onshore wind changes and housebuilding targets demonstrating a desire to remove barriers to growth. - Creating a National Wealth Fund to secure the funding for investment in green technology and the industries of the future. - Changing the name of DLUHC to show a focus on action. Some thoughts on what we've seen and what we can expect to see from the new government

📊 Get the latest data on Infrastructure impact funds! 📘 Last week we released our Infrastructure impact report, where you can find the latest data, an interview with Anders Hauch, Frontier Energy | Africa and a deep dive into SDG 9. Here are the key takeaways from the data: 🔵 208% growth in number of infrastructure impact funds since 2015 🔵 72% of the funds focus on developed market infrastructure 🔵 91% growth in target assets open for investment 🔵 39% of infrastructure funds open for investment 🔵 82% of the funds have a global or developed market focus 🔵 75% growth in planned infrastructure fund launches compared to 2023

Building the clean electricity grid that Canada needs to stay economically competive and decarbonize needs capital - so come join my colleagues in I next week in Toronto for a fantastic discussion on how to finance Canada's clean power future. #CleanPower #EnergyStorage #Wind #Solar #CleanFinance #FinTech

Michael Fedchyshyn, Interim CEO, Invest Ontario gave a interesting presentation at the IESO's Strategic Advisory Committee this week. Some items from his deck: - Invest Ontario is consistently seeing projects with energy demand in the 75MW-400+MW range -Structure of Ontario electricity system can be impediment (e.g., upfront capital contributions for transmission connection and infrastructure upgrades) -Some Invest Ontario clients have stated they are offered free connections in the US and/or that Ontario's connection costs are 2x or 3x higher: https://lnkd.in/gNRd5iNc #energy #ontario #investment #electricity #economy

Yeah, right; you definitely could have fooled me. 😂 On a serious note, the #FederalGovernment of #Nigeria needs to urgently review its #strategic #subsidy agenda, to address #energy and #electricity as essential inputs into #economic #recovery and #growth and desist from these inordinate transactional gimmicks for raising funds just for the sake of it, resulting in little beyond avoidable #inflationary impact. https://lnkd.in/dNQCXNpc

Our Financing the Energy Transition: Access to Capital panel brought together an expert group of speakers to explore innovative strategies for unlocking funding for Indigenous-led clean energy initiatives. Moderated by Amyn Lalji, Partner at MLT Aikins LLP, the discussion featured Sashen Guneratna, Managing Director of Investments at Canada Infrastructure Bank, Peter Clibbon, Senior Vice President of Development at RES Group, Christine Chiu, Director of Energy Transition, Project, and Infrastructure Finance at RBC Royal Bank, and Jamie Houssian, Principal at Elemental Energy. Panelists examined diverse financing options, including private sector investment, government programs, and Indigenous financial institutions, while addressing challenges Indigenous Nations face in accessing capital. They shared real-world examples of structuring financial deals that enable equitable participation and long-term sustainability, showcasing how funding mechanisms can drive economic reconciliation and empower Indigenous communities to lead in BC’s energy transition. This insightful session emphasized the critical importance of collaboration and innovation in financing clean energy projects, leaving attendees with actionable strategies for advancing Indigenous-led initiatives. #FNES2024 #CleanEnergyBC #IndigenousLeadership #EconomicReconciliation #CleanEnergyInnovation

When a panel discussion allows you to tick off the messages we have heard loud and clear from business and international investors, you know you are working on the right themes. The asks: certainty, continuity, clarity, consistency and predictability. My fellow panellists eloquently covered off the importance, and risk, of replacing end-of-life electricity generation assets, the lower cost of renewables for electricity generation, the need to balance the grid, and the importance of long-term storage and stabilisation mechanisms such as synchronous condensers. We also covered the importance of the wider supply chain infrastructure, such as ports, in the transition to net zero. We discussed the need to ensure we make public-private partnerships work with an appropriate and fair balance between risk and reward for private markets. We highlighted opportunities for jobs and new industries in the UK, particularly in former industrial heartlands, and the need to push on with implementing and developing projects and attracting new project sponsors into the market. Financing should not be the issue when projects are reaching the commercial scaling stage - the panel emphasised that the UK is an attractive investment market and, where there is risk, tenor or capacity to be bridged, the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) is here to solve problems. Importantly, we will step back where the private sector can take on the challenge. Finally, the panel emphasised the need to recognise that we are in a globally competitive market and we need to stay match fit to compete as a country. It was good to highlight that the UK Infrastructure Bank is ready, willing and able to play its role in ensuring that the UK can maximise the opportunities ahead. A lot to take away from the discussion at Innovation Zero with thanks to the panel chair Jon Phillips of Global Infrastructure Investor Association (GIIA) and to my fellow panellists: Geraint Evans from UK Major Ports Group, Rosalind Smith-Maxwell of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, Robert Pardy of I Squared Capital and Ingrid Edmund of Columbia Threadneedle Investments EMEA APAC. #ukinfrastructurebank #netzero #infrastructurefinance

Despite the forthcoming administrative change in the White House, renewable energy and the clean energy transition under the IRA is here to stay. I recently spoke with Reuters about the shift, and I believe this is a testament to the industry’s momentum and the critical investments being made across the capital stack by developers, investors, lenders, and corporates. Having now led over 80 post-IRA transactions, I offered my insights into the new investing landscape. Such transactions span debt, tax equity, and direct transfers, each of which has embraced corporates as new entrants into the market. And having had the privilege of working in the Obama administration and then advising the Obama, Trump, and now Biden White Houses, I was able to offer my views on the administrative and political underpinnings of the IRA and how the IRA will continue to drive renewable energy initiatives forward. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eeTZ5dvm #RenewableEnergy #SustainableFuture #2024Election

The only item missing from this announcement is who will provide the loan? Is this Indigenous partnership borrowing from a bank, an investment group, selling. bonds? This is important to understand the actual cash flow and dividends to the 60+ First Nations, which are dependent on the interest rates being paid for access to these funds. Keep in mind a loan guarantee, although important, is just one financial mechanism and tool available to a variety of governments to support Indigenous Nations including U.S. Tribes and their economic diversification. #indigenouseconomics #Energy #naturalgas #fossilenergy #diversification #alloftheabove https://lnkd.in/gQgEyHvr