CEFC chief gives wind farm industry lowdown on financing potential

29 May 2015

Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) CEO Oliver Yates will give key wind farm industry figures insights into finance opportunities at a Wind Farms 2013 conference in Melbourne on Wednesday, May 29.

Mr Yates said the CEFC, which takes a commercial approach to investments, has a flexible mandate which provides an opportunity to achieve genuine market based change by helping overcome the financial barriers that had previously prevented clean energy investment at scale.

"The CEFC is here to assist the wind power industry to get deals done and we look forward to working with the industry to achieve outcomes that set Australia on a cost competitive and efficient path to tomorrow," he said.

"While I'm unable to go into detail at this stage, we're currently examining the investment potential of a number of significant wind projects.

"We understand that securing Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) is a significant problem for developers. The CEFC has been brought a number of proposals designed to bring new PPA providers to the market and to support participants wanting to take merchant risk.

"These projects are seeking financing support in the form of senior debt, subordinated debt and equity and our co-investment partners will include domestic banks, international financial investors and major trade and strategic participants in the domestic and international market."

The CEFC is mandated to assist change and ensure that Australia's transition to a low carbon economy is achieved at the lowest cost to the nation. Our mandate allows us to support suppliers to the wind sector and transmission and connection projects.

Mr Yates will join Hepburn Wind founding chair Simon Holmes a Court and Investec Bank Australia's Director Power Investments Mark Headland on a panel discussing the key challenges and opportunities of financing wind farm projects.

The Wind Farms 2013 conference is the fourth by International Quality and Productivity Centre (IQPC), bringing key wind industry participants together to address strategies that will unlock Australia's wind energy potential.