Solar power has become big business, with $131 billion invested in 2018, up from just $11.2 billion in 2004 but down from $171 billion in 2017 as unit costs fell. New installed capacity grew from 1.1GW in 2004 to about 107GW in 2018, a steady rise as solar begins to compete with fossil fuels on cost and to be built in nearly every country.This is a book for the solar workers of the future, a business book for those without a business or economics background and those simply curious about major shifts happening in the world energy economy. Key financial, economic and technical concepts are interspersed with the history of the first decade of cheap solar power, and the author's experience of being part of a successful startup in the clean energy sector.Related Link(s)

Solar Power Finance Without the Jargon introduces financial concepts through a lively history of the solar industry, and cuts through the main areas of mystique and misinformation about solar technology and projects. With extensive experience in answering questions from clients in the solar, finance and energy industries, Chase focuses on the practical and financial aspects of solar power, making this book suitable for those wanting to work in clean energy or who have a strong interest in the subject, particularly those without a business background.Since the first edition was published in 2019, solar capacity has only grown bigger and cheaper, opening up new markets. Most significantly, Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, igniting an energy crisis across the world which made countries glad of any renewable energy capacity they had built, as well as amplifying calls for a diversified and resilient global supply chain for renewable energy components. This second edition of Solar Power Finance Without the Jargon is considerably more detailed and optimistic about batteries and hydrogen. It extensively updates readers on the rapidly-changing price and energy landscape, the latest industry thinking on the effects of large volumes of renewable energy on the grid and the path to deep decarbonisation of human civilisation.

The future of clean energy is no longer about science and technology; it's all about access to finance. The fossil fuel industry has been subsidized for decades with tax breaks and government backing, while renewables have struggled to compete. But now clean energy is the safe bet for investors, as is argued in Renewable Energy Finance: Powering the Future, edited by Dr Charles Donovan, Principal Teaching Fellow at Imperial College Business School. With a Foreword writer Lord Brown and contributions from some of the world's leading experts in energy finance, this timely book documents how investors are spending over US$250 billion each year on new renewable energy projects and positioning themselves in a global investment market that will continue to expand at double-digit growth rates until 2020. It documents first-hand experiences of the challenges of balancing risk and return amid volatile market conditions and rapid shifts in government policy. Renewable Energy Finance provides an insider's perspective on renewable energy transactions, and insight into how countries like the US, India and China are responding to the global energy challenge. Drawing together contributions from senior executives and leading academics, Renewable Energy Finance serves an audience of readers craving intelligent, practical perspectives on the future of clean energy investment. Contents:Section I:Introduction to Renewable Energy Finance (Charles Donovan)The Clean Energy Imperative (Jim Skea)How Much Renewable Energy Will the Global Economy Need? (Guy Turner)Investor-Specific Cost of Capital and Renewable Energy Investment Decisions (Thorsten Helms, Sarah Salm & Rolf Wüstenhagen)Section II:Markets, Governments and Renewable Electricity (Richard Green)The Impact of Government Policies on Renewable Energy Investment (Gireesh Shrimali)Mobilizing Private Sector Capital in Developing Countries (Alexandre Chavarot & Matthew Konieczny)Renewable Energy Finance in China (Philip Andrews-Speed & Sufang Zhang)Measuring the Carbon Delta of Investment Performance (Celine McInerney & Derek Bunn)Section III:The Growing Role for Private Equity (Brian Potskowski & Chris Hunt)Project Finance and the Supply of Credit from Commercial Banks (Alejandro Ciruelos Alonso)The Untapped Potential of Institutional Investors (David Nelson)The Spectacular Growth of Solar PV Leasing (Bruce Usher & Albert Gore)Crowdfunding: Ready for the Big Leagues? (Karl Harder & Sam Friggens) Readership: Advance economics undergraduates and postgraduates undertaking modules in Environmental and Energy economics. Finance students undertaking Energy Finance modules. Researchers and interested financial professionals looking for a reference volume on clean energy investing. Keywords:Renewable Energy;Clean Energy Finance;Solar Energy Financing

Clean, silent, renewable and climate-friendly solar power is the holy grail of energy. And there s no shortage of sunlight out there: enough falls on the surface of the planet each day to power human society many thousands of times over.

Renewable Energy Finance: Theory and Practice integrates the special characteristics of renewable energy with key elements of project finance. Through a mixture of fundamental analysis and real-life examples, readers learn how renewable energy project finance works in actual deals that mix finance, public policy, legal, engineering and environmental issues. The skills developed in analyzing non-recourse cash flow-based finance are applicable not only to green energy, but also apply more widely in project finance and infrastructure investing. The book's comparisons of developed and developing countries make it valuable to readers worldwide. Presents real world cases in each chapter Includes a companion website that contains renewable energy project finance models and other resources Supports efforts to achieve environmental sustainability through renewable financing projects and cleaner production techniques

What is project finance? What makes project or structured finance so relevant for large renewable energy infrastructure? Which vocabulary do I need to know in order to speak the same language during meetings with lawyers, investors, bankers and engineers? These questions and many more are answered throughout this book, offering real world examples to bridge the gap between theory and practice. The book details the role of each stakeholder in the development of renewable energy projects, the interconnection between all the agreements, the financial process from fundraising to financial close, the processes of due diligence, risk analysis, project investment valuation and much more. It also provides with an introduction to Portfolio Management using renewable energy assets and an explanation of the role of Climate Finance in green energy investments. The commented glossary enables readers to unpick the jargon used in project finance for renewable energy, and the numerous creative figures and comprehensive tables aid with understanding. Offering a complete picture of the discipline, Introduction to Project Finance in Renewable Energy Infrastructure will be of value to professionals, engineers and academics alike interested in understanding the process and components of project finance in renewable energy infrastructures, in both private and public-private contexts.

This book is a concise reader-friendly introductory guide to understanding renewable energy technologies. By using simplified classroom-tested methods developed while teaching the subject to engineering students, the authors explain in simple language an otherwise complex subject in terms that enable readers to gain a rapid fundamental understanding of renewable energy, including basic principles, the different types, energy storage, grid integration, and economies. This powerful tutorial is a great resource for students, engineers, technicians, analysts, investors, and other busy professionals who need to quickly acquire a solid understanding of the science of renewable energy technology.