Renewable Energy finance Forum, June in NYC

June 21-22, REFF-Wall Street in New York City

Renewable Energy Finance Forum-Wall Street is renowned throughout the industry as the meeting place for financiers, investors and renewable energy project developers to network, strike deals and drive forward the future of the industry. June 21-22, 2011 marks the return of REFF-Wall Street to New York City for its 8th edition.

At the 7th REFF-Wall Street in June 2010, over 700 attendees from 23 countries and over 480 companies assembled, defying continued economic difficulties and an uncertain legislative outlook, to debate the key challenges facing the renewable energy sector, and identify lucrative future business prospects going forward.

With over 70% of attendees at Director level or above, REFF-Wall Street brings together the crème de la crème of the USA’s renewable energy industry, drawing attendees from the entire value chain, including financiers, manufacturers and developers.

Euromoney Energy Events and the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) are delighted to once again be bringing the USA’s premier renewable energy finance event to New York.


Register for REFF NYC June 2011



2011 Renewable Energy Finance Forum Program

JUNE 21 & 22, 2011
THE WALDORF=ASTORIA, NEW YORK CITY

Opening Reception-Monday June 20, 2011
6:00pm-8:00pm

Join us for our lavish opening reception, and make key
contacts ahead of the start of the conference sessions


Sponsored by Milbank & MUFG


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

7:00am Registration and Coffee

8:30am Welcome and Opening Remarks

Paul Clark, Conference Manager, Euromoney Energy Events
Senior Representative, ACORE

8:45-9:15am SESSION 1: OPENING KEYNOTES

This opening session will provide a backdrop for subsequent conference proceedings by giving high-level perspectives on public policy, financial markets and corporate strategy in the renewable energy sector.

9:15-10:15am SESSION 2: PUTTING RENEWABLE ENERGY IN PERSPECTIVE - MARKET DRIVERS

As the economic recovery continues, it is important to understand the changing global energy mix, and where renewable energy fits. With oil prices rising, the onset of growth in natural gas markets, and continuing global demand for coal, this session will put renewable energy into perspective, and address issues including:

World energy & economic outlook: How is renewable energy viewed globally and what is the outlook for its development as a greater part of the energy mix?

Capital market outlook: How are climate & sustainability drivers impacting on capital markets and investment decision-making?

Economic growth and job creation: The story on Germany and China and the implications of these on the US renewable energy market

Chair:

Michael Eckhart, Managing Director, Global Head of Environmental Finance and Sustainability, Citigroup

Speakers:

Michael Liebreich, CEO, Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Joseph A. Stanislaw, Independent Senior Advisor, Energy and Sustainability, Deloitte LLP & Founder,The JAStanislaw Group
Robert Bothwell, Executive Managing Director, Beecher Carlson
Roger Ballentine, President, Green Strategies Inc.

10:15-10:45am Networking Refreshment Break Sponsored by SunEdison

10:45am-12:00pm SESSION 3: SOLAR PV AND OTHER DG MARKETS, INVESTMENT & FINANCE

PV market growth throughout 2010 has been impressive. With minimal technology risk, projects remain attractive to investors. This session will address the key issues faced in financing PV projects in the US, including:
Overcoming PPA risk – how can we be sure assumptions in the PPAs will hold up?
The PPA/Ownership flip model versus leasing
Other Distributed Generation technologies: fuel cells, others
Financing the Distributed Generation model

Chair:

Nick Eisenberger, Founding Partner, Pure Energy Partners
Thomas Glascock, Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Speakers:

Brad Nordholm, President, Starwood Energy Group
Brian Matthay, VP Environmental Finance, Wells Fargo
Brian Steel, VP Corporate Development, PG&E Corporation
Ben Cook, Vice President Project Finance, SolarCity

12:00-1:00pm SESSION 4: UTILITY SCALE SOLAR PV AND SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY

Despite attracting huge loan guarantee commitments, the solar thermal electricity market has not gathered the expected momentum, and several major projects have converted to PV at the eleventh hour. With investors and developers facing considerable technology risk in this arena, this session will feature success stories with a frank account of challenges overcome, showing you these projects are viable with the right expertise. In addition, the session will cover utility-scale PV financing and the difficulties in financing the scale-up.


Chair:

Laura Lovelace, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Wellford Energy
Eric Silverman, Partner, Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP

Speakers:

John Woolard, Chief Executive Officer, BrightSource Energy
Arno Harris, Chief Executive Officer, Recurrent Energy
Kevin Smith, CEO, SolarReserve
Daniel Alcolmbright, Vice President & General Manager, North America, SOLON SE
Warren Byrne, President & CEO, Foresight Renewables

1:00-2:30pm Lunch Sponsored by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

2:30-3:45pm SESSION 5: RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY - WIND POWER & GEOTHERMAL

The makeup of the renewable energy markets is changing. Wind power, once the stalwart of renewable energy in the US, is now a mature market and seems to be in momentary decline. By contrast, the geothermal power pipeline is at 7 GW and growing. Hydropower keeps moving ahead and ocean power is coming out of R&D into commercialization. This session will explore the changing state of play in these markets, addressing issues such as:

How can the wind industry overcome expiring support mechanisms, including the cash grant expiring 2011 and PTC expiring 2012?

What is the outlook for offshore wind in the US, and how does this compare with Europe’s achievements thus far?

With 29 state RPSs but no national RES, how can wind market demand be continued?

Moving geothermal projects to commercial deployment on time and on budget

Can we expect Federal support for geothermal projects or will private investors be enough to support their development?

Co-Chairs:

Kathleen A. McGinty, Senior VP and Managing Director for Strategic Growth, Weston Solutions, Katherine McAvoy Gillespie, Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP

Speakers:

John Anderson, Head Power & Project Finance, John Hancock
Hezy Ram, Independent, former President & CEO, Ram Power Corporation
Jim Adams, President, Natural Power North America
Marshal Salant, Managing Director, Head of Alternative Energy Finance, Citi
Dita Bronicki, CEO, Ormat Technologies, Inc.
Kevin Walsh, Managing Director, GE Energy Financial Services

3:45-4:00pm Networking Refreshment Break Sponsored by SunEdison

4:00-5:00pm SESSION 6: RENEWABLE FUELS OUTLOOK, INVESTMENT & FINANCE

Following insight from the major investment banking players and project financiers in the renewable energy sector, this panel will focus on the financing of renewable energy projects from a producer’s point of view. Hear leading renewable fuels producers addressing how they have achieved success and what they think makes a renewable fuels company bankable.

Chair:

Jeffrey McDermott, Managing Partner, Greentech Capital Advisors
Mark Riedy, Partner, Mintz Levin

Speakers:

Nancy Floyd, Founder & Managing Partner, Nth Power
Mark DeAndrea, VP of Strategic Capital, POET

5:00pm Close of Conference Sessions



Evening Networking Reception

5:30pm-8:00pm

Café St. Barts
109 East 50th Street
New York, New York 10022
View map

Join us for our popular networking reception at the end of Day One, for a chance to discuss the day’s proceedings with fellow delegates, cement existingrelationship and meet new business partners, in a
relaxed informal setting.

Sponsored by Orrick




Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Networking Breakfast
7:45am-8:45am

Raise your profile at our networking breakfast, where delegates will have the opportunity to introduce themselves to their fellow conference attendees using a roving microphone.


Hosted by Santander



7:30am Registration Opens

8:50am Conference Opens

Paul Clark, Conference Manager, Euromoney Energy Events

9:00-9:30am SESSION 7: KEYNOTE ADDRESS

The opening session on Day Two will feature a keynote address from a senior level industry executive, considering changing dynamics in the renewable energy markets and providing a context for the day’s discussions.
Speaker:

J. Andrew Murphy, EVP & President, Northeast Region, NRG Energy


9:30-11:00am

SESSION 8: GLOBAL FINANCIAL MARKETS - HOW THE INVESTMENT BANKS SEE IT

This session brings you the latest from Wall Street’s major investment banks, who are all actively leading deals in the renewable sector. Hear how the global financial landscape has changed, and how the markets are rebounding following the economic downturn. A panel of top energy bankers will give you first-class insight into how you can tap the capital markets this year.

Chair:

John Cavalier, Managing Partner, Hudson Clean Energy Partners

Speakers:

Andrew Safran, Chairman of Energy, Power & Chemicals and Vice Chairman of Global Banking, Citibank
Kevin Genieser, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley
Brian Bolster, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs
Ray Wood, Co-Head Global Alternative Energy, Credit Suisse
Parker Weil, Managing Director, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
James Metcalfe, Managing Director, UBS Securities
Amy Corinne Smith, Managing Director, Co-Head Global Cleantech Investment Banking, Jefferies


11:00-11:30am Networking Refreshment Break Sponsored by GE Energy Finacial Services


11:30am-12:30pm SESSION 9:UNLOCKING PROJECT FINANCE - TODAY & TOMORROW

Having heard from the best and brightest in Wall Street’s investment banking community, this session will dig deeper into the financial structuring of renewable energy projects. This session will compare different financial models and their outlooks as we move forward, including:
Project debt and equity
Tax equity and other tax considerations
Leasing and other project finance structures
Deal structuring, issues and trends
Getting creative – how are tomorrow’s deals going to be financed and how can general project finance principles be applied to a broader scope of clean energy developments?

Chair:

Keith Martin, Partner, Chadbourne & Parke

Speakers:

Ed Feo, Managing Partner, US Renewables Group
Eric Redman, President, Summit Power Group
John Eber, Managing Director - Energy Investments, JP Morgan
Lance Markowitz, Senior Vice President & Manager, Leasing & Asset Finance, Union Bank CA
Jorge Camina, Head of Project & Acquisition Finance North America, Banco Santander
Thomas Eammons, Managing Director, Rabobank Group


12:30-2:00pm Networking Lunch Sponsored by SOLON


2:00-3:15pm SESSION 10: VENTURE CAPITAL & PRIVATE EQUITY PERSPECTIVES

A panel of leading venture capitalists and private equity players will give their perspectives on investing in renewable energy companies, answering your questions, including:

Where are the opportunities for early-stage renewable capital?
The current pressure is on expansion capital – where will it come from?
How are the corporate investors / acquirers playing the field?
Do we see an IPO window opening up, just in time for the backlog of exits?

Co-Chairs:

Michael Ware, Managing Director, Advance Capital Markets
Chris Groobey, Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Speakers:

David Prend, Managing General Partner, RockPort Capital Partners
Pat Eilers, Managing Director, Madison Dearborn Partners LLC
Stephen Dolezalek, Managing Director & Group Leader Cleantech, Vantage Point Venture Partners
Spencer Hempleman, Renewable Energy Fund Portfolio Manager, Ardsley Partners


3:15-3:45pm Networking Refreshment Break Sponsored by GE Energy Finacial Services


3:45-4:45pm SESSION 11: IDENTIFYING NEW REVENUE STREAMS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY

This new session for REFF-Wall Street 2011 will examine new emerging revenue streams, and how they relate to the effective development and deployment of renewable energy. Issues for discussion include:

Using the eco securities market as a revenue source
The potential role of a feed-in tariff in the USA
State Renewable Portfolio Standards, Renewable Energy Credits and how these can be used successfully to generate additional revenue for your business

Chair:

Kenneth R. Locklin, Managing Director (North America), Impax Asset Management LLC

Speakers:

Jigar Shah, CEO, The Carbon War Room
Lenny Hochschild, Managing Director, Evolution Markets
Daniel A. Gross, Partner, Hudson Clean Energy Partners


4:45 - 5:00pm SESSION 12: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A selection of REFF-Wall Street Co-Chairs will look back over the two days and reflect on some of the key themes and issues that emerged, giving you key takeaway strategies to take back to your desk.

5:00pm Closing Remarks

Henry Hely Hutchinson, Managing Director, Euromoney Energy Events

5:15pm Close of REFF-Wall Street 2011.