Financial Investment in Green Energy Awaits Federal Policy Direction

Peter Fusaro outlined what is necessary to bring major financial institutions to the table with clean innovative energy technology.  Without a clear federal policy, there is not the incentive for banks and other lending institutions to make serious investments in clean technology.  Peter Fusaro, a major pioneer in the field of energy finance, noted author, and the Chair of Global Change Associates gave an excellent presentation at the third Clean Energy Forum in New York yesterday.  made a very insightful presentation investment in green technology.

“Without rules, you get nowhere.”, Fusaro stated, “The failure of Cap and Trade in the last Congressional session presented a serious detriment to major investments in green innovation. Carbon”.    California holds the DNA of Cap and Trade and in that state carbon sells for $14.25/ton. 

Regulatory framework is another key to investment and, as anyone in the energy arena knows, that is a slow and cumbersome process.  Twenty-nine states have a Renewable Portfolio Standard  (RPS) and this compliance driven standard has made a credible difference for companies to invest in renewable energy.  Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) are a huge boast for investments in solar.  There are fourteen states with  SRECS and the state of New Jersey is a perfect example where they have used RPS and SRECs to be 2nd largest state in solar development. 

Presently, the biggest areas of investments include PV Solar, combined heat and power brownfields to greenfields, landfill gas capture, anerobic digestion, and miniturbines. 

Fusaro ended this excellent presentation by saying, " I want green energy to be so mainstream that people don't even call it green"