Solar Investment Forum
Where the solar and finance industries meet to do business
Munich, Germany: 9 June 2010
Introduction:
|
Now in it’s 3rd year, the Solar Investment Forum moves to Munich as an integrated part of Intersolar Europe, the world's largest solar technology trade fair. The event will provide a forum for the whole finance value chain to meet with key contacts from leading solar companies. Different types of investors will clarify their changing investment criteria. Solar companies will understand how to attract finance to expand their business and financiers will better understand the risks faced in investing in the solar industry. Key reasons to attend:Hear from leading solar investors, including:
In-depth market insight
Excellent networking opportunities
|
An official part of Inter-Solar Europe Media Partners: 
|
Attendees expected from:
Venture Capital, Angel Investors, Incubators, Private Equity Funds, Hedge Funds, Investment Banks, Project Finance, Corporate Finance, Fund Managers, Asset Management, Institutional Investors, Pension Funds, Asset Owners, HNW Individuals, Sovereign Wealth Funds, Family Offices, Foundations, Endowments, Lawyers, Consultants, Accountants, Insurance Companies, EPC – Engineering, Procurement & Construction Providers, Stock Exchanges and Solar Companies.
Agenda outline:
Global Financial Markets & the Solar Industry
As we exit the turmoil of 2009, this key event will examine how solar companies can overcome the lack of access to capital and look forward to the impact of future possible changes such as a restructured global banking industry. The opening session will examine the key trends in solar finance and investment:
- What is the impact of the current financial markets on the solar industry? What are the trends and impacts of the cost of capital?
- Is the role of strategic investors and private equity growing?
- Where does the value lie for solar investors: manufacturing equipment, module & technology suppliers, project developers? What can we learn from solar indices?
- What business models have succeeded in a low capital environment, e.g. leasing?
- How can the solar industry respond to the capital constrained market and increase the capital flow?
- What options are there for IPO’s and return to public markets?
Global Policy Analysis
No discussion on the realities of financing solar can be complete with a thorough understanding and overview of the policy initiatives across the globe. This session will look at different policies and examine their success, including feed-in-tariffs, ROCs, green trading certificates and caps.
Solar Innovation – Bringing New Technologies to Market
A panel of senior venture capitalists will discuss their perspectives on innovation in the solar sector, asking where the new opportunities lie, what their investment criteria are, what are the investment cycles and how early stage investors are responding to rapidly evolving technologies and changing policy support for the sector.
- What are the investment criteria for early stage investors working in the solar space
- How can venture capital mitigate the market and technology risk of this relatively new sector?
- What types of investment opportunities are they looking for in the solar market?
- How do they evaluate investment opportunities in solar technology, project development, manufacturing or solar services?
- How can certain new sectors like CPV and Organic PV cross the funding gap and attract expansion capital?
Equity Finance & Expansion Capital - Rolling out Solar Projects
This session will look at the key role that the private equity industry can play in helping grow the solar industry. A panel of players that are active in the solar market will discuss their plans for 2010-11, at what stage they commit to in investing in companies, which investment criteria they use and how they plan to deploy financial resources in order to take advantage of the opportunities in today’s market.
- How is the buy out industry recovering from the credit crunch? How is the climate for fundraising for cleantech and solar funds?
- Which sectors are most interesting for PE’s as investment targets? Technology, project development, manufacturing or solar services?
- How do PE’s evaluate potential investments in these areas?
- What are the key factors that will impact on the profitability of the solar sector:
- Fossil fuel and natural gas prices
- Long term price of carbon
- Renewable energy legislation
- Returning project finance markets, the re-opening of the IPO market?
- Overcapacity and falling equipment prices in the manufacturing sector?
Debt Finance – Gearing Solar Expansion
With the easing of the turmoil in traditional debt markets across the world, how can the solar industry access sources of credit? This session will assemble key players in debt finance to address the availability of debt finance and project finance for solar energy and how lenders are responding to changing market dynamics.
- What are the key trends in debt financing for solar projects in 2010?
- What types of companies are most bankable?
- What are the key characteristics of a bankable project:
- Advanced stage license/permitting application
- Proven technology – no technology risk
- Creditworthiness of all counterparties and simple project structure
- Bankable EPC wrap, technology warrantees, performance bonds, role of insurance
- What new sources of debt are available? Can insurance companies and pension funds be looked to for support?
- How have the new terms and structures changed? Debt to equity ratios, upfront equity, what are the trends in loan terms—pricing, leverage, lock up, default and covenants?
- How will risk considerations drive lending decisions in the upcoming year:
regulatory / technology completion/construction risks - What are the latest trends in retail products: solar mortgages?
Solar Funds and Institutional Investment
This high level panel will provide insight from the ultimate sources of capital for many renewable energy companies and projects: the institutional investors. Representatives of funds with an active interest in the solar energy sector will give their perspectives, discussing the opportunities for investors in the solar market and where the real long term growth opportunities lie.
- What are the long term growth opportunities for solar investments?
- Why should investors heavily weight their portfolios with the solar sector?
- Is solar a new asset class? What has been the experience of early players and closed funds to the cleantech and solar sectors?
- Is solar a truly disruptive technology?
Plus a choice of two training courses:
Solar Technologies “101” - Pre-conference, 8th June
A 1-day primer for non-engineers.
Course objectives
Whether you are new to the industry or simply want to refresh and update your knowledge, this one-day training course will ensure you are up-to-speed with the key technologies driving the solar energy industry. You will learn about harnessing the sun's energy through silicon and thin-film photovoltaics (PV) plus through solar thermal collection and power conversion; including concentrating and utility-scale systems in both cases. Technologies are placed in their relevant business context, ensuring that you also understand the factors which will decide their commercial success or failure.
and
Solar Power Economics - Post-conference, 10th June
A 1-day practical primer on quantifying solar power’s market competitiveness
Course objectives
Accessible to non-experts, industry newcomers and those with little or no technical or financial background, this one-day course describes and illustrates (using simple calculations and models) the factors which determine the competitiveness of solar power in current and future electricity markets. It will discuss markets for solar power, physical limits on the solar resource, influences (both technological and otherwise) on its cost, challenges in integrating solar into future grid supplies, and the comparative attributes of competing options (both renewable and fossil).
Speaking opportunities:
If you are interested in speaking at this event please submit a speaking proposal (presentation title, 4-5 bullet point and speaker biography) to Sarah Ellis. Speaking opportunities are extremely limited.
Sponsorship opportunities:
Green Power Conferences Global Solar Series has a proven track record of delivering high calibre attendees in the perfect environment for you meet new potential clients and accelerate your business in the growing world of solar finance and investment opportunities.
First class business opportunities
Our sponsorship packages are designed to help you meet your business objectives. If you are looking to win prospective clients, strengthen existing relationships or enhance your company profile, we will help you do so in a cost effective manner.
Past attendees include representatives from:
Abengoa Solar, Acciona Solar, Alstom Power, Amonix, Applied Materials, Ausra, Banco Santander, BP Alternative Energy, BrightSource Energy, BSW-Solar, Climate Change Capital, Concentrix Solar, Credit Suisse, DBL Investors, Deutsche Bank Securities, Dexia Credit Local, DLR, Edison, European Investment Bank, Emerging Energy Research, Enfinity, ENI, EON, Epuron, Ernst & Young, Esolar, EuPD Research, European Commission, First Solar, Foresight Group, GE Energy Financial Services, Good Energies, Guardian Glass, Hazel Capital, Ibersolar Energia, International Energy Agency, Investec, KfW, Kleiner, Perkins, Caulfield and Byers, KPMG, LBBK, Lotus Solar Technologies, Louys Consulting, Macquarie Capital, Martifer, Masdar, McKinsey, Menova Energy, Merloni Progetti, Mitsubishi Corp, Mountain Cleantech, Nanosolar, Navigant Consulting, New Energy Finance, Next Energy Capital, Nomura International, NV Energy, Q-Cells, Rabobank, Renewable Ventures, RockPort Capital,
Contact
William Todd for further details
Tel (Dir): +971 50 5517234,
Fax: +44 20 7900 1853
