The 2011 program will be available shortly. In the meantime, check out our 2010 edition.
SEPTEMBER 29-30, 2010 THE RITZ-CARLTON, SAN FRANCISCO
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 Wednesday, September 29, 2010 7:30am | Registration and Coffee | 8:45am | Welcome and Opening Remarks | 9:00am-9:30am | SESSION 1: OPENING KEYNOTES This opening session provided a backdrop for subsequent conference proceedings by giving high-level perspectives on public policy, financial markets and corporate strategy in the renewable energy sector. Senior speakers shared their experience and knowledge of the sector and set the scene for this year’s REFF-Wall Street.
Chair: | 9:30am-10:30am | SESSION 2: MARKET DRIVERS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY As we move towards a new era in renewable energy, this session examined the global macro factors impacting upon the energy sector, including: - World energy outlook: How is renewable energy viewed globally and what is the outlook for its development as a greater part of the energy mix?
- Climate & sustainability drivers: Impacts on capital markets and investment decision-making by institutional investors, corporates and utilities
- Economic growth and job creation: The story on Germany and China and the implications of these on the US renewable energy market
- Momentum: Major facts and trends in renewable energy investment and financing and the intersection of renewable energy and the commodities market
Co-Chairs: - Dan Reicher, Director of Energy & Climate Change Initiatives, Google
- Craig Kline, Partner, Troutman Sanders LLP
Speakers: - Lisa Frantzis, Managing Director for Renewable & Distributed Energy, Navigant Consulting
- Andrew Beebe, Chief Commercial Officer, Suntech Power
- Jeffrey Holzschuh, Vice Chairman, Institutional Securities Group, Morgan Stanley
- Declan Flanagan, Chief Executive Officer, LincolnRenewable Energy, LLC
| 10:30am-11:00am | Networking Refreshment Break Hosted by SunPower | 11:00am-12:30pm | SESSION 3: THE VIEW FROM WALL STREET
REFF-West is the only major renewable energy event on the West Coast to bring you up-to-the-minute commentary from Wall Street. A panel of top energy investment bankers, representing world-leading financial institutions, who are all currently leading major deals, debated how the financial landscape has changed over the last 12-18 months and explored what we can expect from the market moving forward.
Chair: Speakers: - Kevin Genieser, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley
- Jeffrey McDermott, Managing Partner, Greentech Capital Advisors
- Jeffrey Lipton, Managing Director – Head of Clean Tech Group, Jefferies & Company Inc.
- Ray Wood, Co-Head Global Alternative Energy, Credit Suisse
- Parker Weil, Managing Director, Co-Head Americas Energy & Power Group, Bank of America – Merrill Lynch
- Sandip Sen, Global Head - Alternative Energy, Citigroup Global Markets
- Jonathan Yellen, Managing Director, Deutsche Bank
| 12:30pm-2:00pm | Networking Lunch Hosted by Stoel Rives | 2:00pm-3:15pm | SESSION 4: RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT FINANCE
As we progress further towards economic recovery, investment in renewable energy is increasing. Whilst we have seen continued investment throughout even the bleakest of financial outlooks, investment must continue if we are to move forward. This session compared 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
- Overall deal structuring, issues and trends
Co-Chairs: Speakers: - John Eber, Managing Director, JP Morgan Capital Corporation
- Gisela Kroess, Director, Power & Environment, Global Project Finance, UniCredit Bank AG New York Branch
- Matt Cheney, Managing Director, Cleanpath Ventures
- Matt Ferguson, Principal, Renewable Energy Practice Leader, Reznick Group
- Kenneth Westrick, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, 3TIER
| 3:15pm-3:45pm | Networking Refreshment Break Hosted by SunPower | 3:45pm-4:45pm | SESSION 5: WEST COAST DEVELOPERS' PERSPECTIVES Following insight from the major investment banking players and project financiers in the renewable energy sector, this panel focused on the financing of West-Coast renewable energy projects from a developer’s point of view. Leading west-coast developers gave insight into how your projects can achieve bankability.
Co-Chairs: Speakers: - Daniel Schochet, Executive Vice President, Ram Power Corporation
- Michael Walsh, Chief Financial Officer, NTR Plc
- Tim Derrick, Chief Executive Officer, Axio Power Inc.
- William Lee, Vice President Project Finance, SunEdison
- David Oxtoby, Chief Executive Officer, CarbonFree Technology
| 4:45pm-5:00pm | SESSION 6: SUMMARY OF DAY ONE In this wrap-up session for Day One, a selection of the REFF-West Conference Co-Chairs looked back at the presentations made, summarized the discussion and further developed some of the themes outlined, giving key take-away strategies for business.
| 5:00pm | Close of Conference Sessions | Evening Networking Reception 5:00pm-7:00pm
Hosted by Milbank | | | Thursday, September 30, 2010
Networking Breakfast | | | 7:45am | Registration Opens | 8:50am | Conference Opens - Paul Clark, Conference Manager, Euromoney Energy Events
| 9:00am-9:30am | SESSION 7: WELCOME AND KEYNOTE PRESENTATION The opening session on Day Two featured 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. Chair: Speaker: - Don Paul, University of Southern California Energy Institute & William M. Keck Chair of Energy Resources
| 9:30am-10:45am | SESSION 8: GOVERNMENT POLICY & INCENTIVES In the wake of 2009’s American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, this session examined the impact of new legislation on the renewable energy industry. Topics addressed include: - How has the stimulus package encouraged investment in the sector and has the Loan Guarantee Program been a game changer?
- Federal tax incentives and state renewable portfolio standards
- CEDA/Green Bank proposals
- Potential for a Feed-in Tariff in the USA
Chair: Speakers:
- Jackie Pfannenstiel, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations and Environment)
- Dan Kalafatas, President, 3Degrees
- Woodrow Clark II, Managing Director, Clark Strategic Partners
- Wendolyn Holland, Senior Advisor, Commercialization and Deployment, DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- Laura Lovelace, President, Wellford Energy Advisors
- David Kappos, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property & Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
| 10:45am-11:15am | Networking Refreshment Break Hosted By SOLON Corporation | 11:15am-12:30pm | SESSION 9: PUBLIC CAPITAL MARKETS This new session for REFF-West 2010 examined the changing state of public capital markets and how they relate to renewable energy development. Issues discussed included: - Update on the state of public equity markets, IPO and IPO secondary markets
- Sources of capital for high-grossing companies
- Global perspectives: How do global public capital markets compare with the US?
Co-Chairs: Speakers: - Mark Nydam, Managing Director, Cleantech Investment Practice, PCG Asset Management
- Scott B. Livingston, Chief Executive Officer, Livingston Securities
- Nat Kreamer, President, Acro Energy Technologies
- Ungad Chadda, Senior Vice President, Toronto Stock Exchange
- John Bohn, Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
| 12:30pm-1:45pm | Networking Lunch | 1:45pm-3:15pm | SESSION 10: STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE - C-LEVEL INSIGHT PANEL
In this stand-out session, leading renewable energy CEOs outlined how they have achieved success over the last year and what they are expecting to see from the industry over coming months. Key questions that were answered included: - What do you see as the major challenges facing the renewable energy industry at the moment?
- How have you responded to the difficult economic climate over the last 18 months?
- What do you see as the most significant opportunities for renewable energy companies and investors over the next year?
Chair: Speakers: - Peter Duprey, Chief Executive Officer, Acciona Energy North America
- Jack Jenkins-Stark, CFO, BrightSource Energy
- Arno Harris, CEO, Recurrent Energy
- Michael Garland, CEO, Pattern Energy Group
- Dennis Arriola, CFO, SunPower Corporation
- Lyndon Rive, CEO, SolarCity
| 3:15pm-3:45pm | Networking Refreshment Break Hosted By SOLON Corporation | 3:45pm-5:00pm | SESSION 11: INVESTOR PERSPECTIVES ON RENEWABLE ENERGY
In this session, investors of varying sizes and types, from VC to Institutional Investor, sat alongside each other and examined the differences in their approaches to financing. Topics considered include: - How can you reconcile Silicon Valley investment opportunities with the Institutional Investor attitude?
- Early stage venture capital, later stage and expansion venture capital and private equity
- Mergers and acquisitions and IPO market developments
- Global equity markets – investing in publicly-traded cleantech/renewable energy companies
Co-Chairs: Speakers: Pat Eilers, Managing Director, Madison Dearborn - Stephan Dolezalek, Managing Director & Clean Tech Group Leader, Vantage Point Venture Partners
- Sha Wang, Principal, Cybernaut (China) Investment
- Tim Woodward, Managing Director, Nth Power
- Ira Ehrenpreis, General Partner, Technology Partners
- Bob O’Connor, Partner, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
| 5:00pm | Closing Remarks | 5:15pm | Close of REFF-West 2010. |
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