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Elements of Solar System Financing
“Going green” has never been more popular, and financing the acquisition of renewable energy equipment has never been more affordable, both for commercial users and individual consumers. A wide variety of government and private programs are available, providing acquisition dollars as well as tax credits, deductions, and exclusions, and other incentives intended to stimulate clean energy development and adoption. In “A Solar Grand Plan” in its January 2008 issue, Scientific American magazine contended that “a massive switch to solar power” is the logical answer to reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and eliminating the resulting emissions. While there are programs and incentives aimed at a number of clean or renewable energy options, this article focuses on solar systems, which may be either photovoltaic energy systems involving arrays of cells that convert sunlight directly into electricity, or solar thermal energy systems that convert sunlight into heat for swimming pools, water, or other uses.
Consumers of energy, whether commercial or residential, are motivated to install solar systems to reduce their cost of electricity and make long-term utility expenses more predictable. In a lease of a solar system, typically the lease payment plus the new cost of electricity is less than the old bill for electricity alone. Lessors who offer solar systems for lease can take advantage of a variety of tax credits, grant payments, renewable energy credits, and rebates. Many companies engaged in the manufacture or installation of solar systems are now also actively offering lease financing, such as the SolarLease' marketed by one such provider.
An alternative financing vehicle is the solar power purchase agreement (“PPA”), a financial arrangement in which a third-party developer owns, operates, and maintains the photovoltaic system, and a property owner agrees to allow the system to be located on its roof or elsewhere on its property. The property owner purchases electricity produced by the system from the system's owner. This financial arrangement allows the hosting customer to receive electricity at a stable, and perhaps lower, cost, while the solar services provider receives tax credits and income generated from the sale of electricity to the hosting customer. In the leasing model, the property owner leases the system itself, with the ultimate goal of purchasing the system in most cases. Under a PPA, known as a “solar services” model, the property owner merely buys the services produced by the solar system. In deciding whether to offer a lease or a PPA, the financing source must understand the economics of the products to the consumer.
Yachts, Jets, Horses & Hooch: Specialized Commercial Leasing Models
Defining commercial real estate asset class is essentially a property explaining how it identifies — not necessarily what its original intention was or what others think it ought to be. This article discusses, from a general issue-spot and contextual analysis perspective, how lawyers ought to think about specialized leasing formats and the regulatory backdrops that may inform what the documentation needs to contain for compliance purposes.
Hyperlinked Documents: The Latest e-Discovery Challenge
As courts and discovery experts debate whether hyperlinked content should be treated the same as traditional attachments, legal practitioners are grappling with the technical and legal complexities of collecting, analyzing and reviewing these documents in real-world cases.
Identifying Your Practice's Differentiator
How to Convey Your Merits In a Way That Earns Trust, Clients and Distinctions Just as no two individuals have the exact same face, no two lawyers practice in their respective fields or serve clients in the exact same way. Think of this as a "Unique Value Proposition." Internal consideration about what you uniquely bring to your clients, colleagues, firm and industry can provide untold benefits for your law practice.
Risks and Ad Fraud Protection In Digital Advertising
The ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, coupled with the industry-wide adoption of programmatic advertising, poses a significant threat to the effectiveness and integrity of digital advertising campaigns. This article explores various risks to digital advertising from pixel stuffing and ad stacking to domain spoofing and bots. It will also explore what should be done to ensure ad fraud protection and improve effectiveness.
Turning Business Development Plans Into Reality
This article offers practical insights and best practices to navigate the path from roadmap to rainmaking, ensuring your business development efforts are not just sporadic bursts of activity, but an integrated part of your daily success.