SEPTEMBER 26-27, 2011
THE FOUR SEASONS, SAN FRANCISCO

Sunday, September 25, 2011

 

Welcome Reception
Sunday, September 25, 2011

Veranda Ballroom
Four Seasons San Francisco


6:00pm - 8:00pm

Join us for a drink and an initial meet and greet with your fellow event attendees on the eve of the conference.

4 seasons

 


Monday, September 26, 2011

7:30amRegistration and Coffee
8:45am

Welcome and Opening Remarks

9:00am-9:30amSESSION 1: OPENING KEYNOTES

This opening session will provide 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 will share their experience and knowledge of the sector and set the scene for this year's REFF-West.

Chair:

Keynote Speaker:

  • Tom Steyer, Senior Managing Member, Farallon Capital Management, L.L.C.
9:30am-10:45amSESSION 2: PUTTING RENEWABLE ENERGY IN CONTEXT

The 2011 IPCC report, commissioned by the UN, has asserted that renewable energy could account for 80% of the world's energy supply by 2050. But, clearly, we have a long way to go. This session explores the role of renewable energy as part of the broader energy mix and identifies key drivers for development at scale.

  • 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?
  • Governmental support: What support programs do we need from governments both in the US and elsewhere, to continue to foster the development of renewable energy at scale?
  • Momentum: Major facts and trends in renewable energy investment and financing and the intersection of renewable energy and the commodities market

Co-Chairs:

Speakers:

10:45am-11:15amNetworking Refreshment Break Sponsored by SOLON Corporation
11:15am-12:45pm

SESSION 3: Emerging Commercial Technologies

The West Coast is undeniably the hub of innovative renewable energy technologies, but there are significant challenges in securing the funding to bring these technologies to market effectively. This session explores strategies for overcoming these challenges and identifying a pathway for deployment outside of traditional project finance mechanisms.

  • Bridging the gap between late-stage venture capital and project finance: What elements of these two different funding mechanisms can work effectively in tandem?
  • Crossing the 'Valley of Death' and moving from demonstration to deployment: How can you find a route to get these technologies to market
  • Identifying sources of capital for projects that have passed venture stage but aren't quite ready for the banks: How can Federal and State level programs help, given that they are often geared towards large-scale projects?

Co-Chairs:

Speakers:

12:45pm-2:15pmNetworking Lunch
2:15pm-4:00pm

SESSION 4: Financing Smaller Deals

In a first for REFF-West, we turn the spotlight on those deals in the $9-$25million range, highlighting the differences and similarities between these deals and the big-ticket deals, and offering you practical advice on moving smaller-scale projects forward.

  • Breaking into the project finance market: Which traditional large-scale project finance mechanisms are applicable?
  • Taking a different route: Vendor finance & asset finance possibilities
  • The role of community and residential power projects: How are these projects being financed and who is doing it?
  • Identifying key sources of funding: Can you pull together strands from different financing vehicles to make it work, and how can you make your project attractive to an investor?

Chair:

  • Ed Feo, Managing Director, USRG Renewable Finance

Speakers:

  • Chris Diaz, Senior Vice President, Seminole Financial Services
  • Richard Kauffman, Chairman of the Board, Levi Strauss
  • Dick Rai, Manager, PNC Energy Capital
  • Ray Henger, Chief Financial Officer, Own Energy
  • Scott Reising, Senior Vice President,Technology Banking Group, Bridge Bank
4:00pm-4:30pmNetworking Refreshment Break Sponsored by SOLON Corporation
4:30pm-5:30pmSESSION 5: Bioenergy – A Renaissance?

With renewable fuels currently a topic of much debate at the Federal level, the industry appears to be experiencing somewhat of a renaissance, but investors still seem unsure. This session will unlock the myths surrounding renewable fuels and evaluate funding mechanisms to bring these projects to fruition.

  • How are biomass and biofuels technologies being applied at a commercial level, especially in the electric automotive industry?
  • Evaluating the challenges faced in financing projects in this space when compared with the more popular wind and solar technologies
  • Understanding key drivers for investing in renewable fuels: Can the sector compete effectively?

Co-Chairs:

Speakers:

  • John M. May, Managing Director, Stern Brothers & Co.
  • Sarah Thornton, Director, Biofuels and Biomass Policy, Biotechnology Industry Organization
  • Justin DeAngelis, Director, Denham Capital
  • Adam Borison, Director, Power Systems, Markets and Pricing, Navigant Consulting
  • David Blume, Chair, Chief Technology Officer and Director of Research and Development, Blume Distillation, LLC
5:30pmClose of Conference Sessions

Evening Networking Reception
Monday, September 26, 2011

Seasons Restaurant Bar and Lounge
Four Seasons San Francisco


5:30pm - 7:30pm

Join us for our lavish evening networking reception at the end of Day One, for a chance to discuss the day's proceedings with fellow delegates, cement existing relationship and meet new business partners, in a relaxed informal setting.

4 seasons

Sponsored By





Tuesday, September 27, 2011

 

Networking Breakfast
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

8:00am - 8:45am

The Four Seasons

Raise your profile at our popular networking breakfast, where delegates will have the opportunity to introduce themselves to their fellow conference attendees using a roving microphone.

Refreshment_Break-Small


8:00amRegistration Opens
8:45amConference Opens
9:00am-9:30amSESSION 6: WELCOME AND KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

The opening session on Day Two will feature 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:


  • Dan Reicher, Chairman, Board of Directors, ACORE & Executive Director, Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy & Finance, Stanford University

Keynote Speakers:


9:30am-11:00am

SESSION 7: Developers' Perspectives – Reflecting on Success

Hear from the landmark success stories in this session. With a specific focus on the West Coast, developers across a range of renewable energy technologies will debate the challenges they faced in achieving success, and will give you practical advice on how you can realize opportunities for your projects and ensure they have bankability. Projects discussed will consider:

  • Rooftop vs. large-scale solar installations
  • Scale-up of transmission and distribution capacity, and the notion of the smart grid
  • Indian/tribal land rights and their impact on renewable energy projects

Chair:

  • Matt Ferguson, Principal & Practice Leader of National Renewable Energy, Reznick Group

Speakers:

11:00am-11:30amNetworking Refreshment Break
11:30am-12:30pmSESSION 8: 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, will debate how the financial landscape has changed over the last 12 months and explore what we can expect from the market moving forward.

Chair:

Speakers:

12:30pm-2:00pmNetworking Lunch
2:00pm-3:15pm

SESSION 9: Renewable Energy Project Finance

Whilst we have seen continued investment in renewable energy throughout even the bleakest of financial outlooks, investment must continue if we are to move forward. This session will compare different financial models and their outlooks as we move forward, and their applicability to different renewable energy projects and technologies, 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:

  • Inigo Velazquez, Director, Energy & Environment Project Finance, Bankia
  • John Eber, Managing Director - Energy Investments, JP Morgan
  • Geraint Breeze, Executive Director, Project Finance, CIBC
  • Michael Switt, Managing Director - Project Finance, Manulife Financial Corporation
  • Pat Eilers, Managing Director, Madison Dearborn Partners LLC
3:15pm-3:45pmNetworking Refreshment Break
3:45pm-4:45pm

SESSION 10: Alternative Sources of Financing

This new session for REFF-West will focus on alternative sources of financing for renewable energy projects. Where can you go to get capital for your projects other than pursuing the traditional project finance route through the banks and private equity houses? Areas of focus include:

  • Attracting institutional capital to your projects: What makes a project attractive to this investor class?
  • The use of bonds in financing renewable energy projects
  • Efficient use and monetization of tax and other government incentives: What is out there already, and what new initiatives would help move projects forward?

Chair:

  • Ted Brandt, Principal-CEO, Marathon Capital, LLP

Speakers:

4:45pm- 5:00pmSESSION 11: Executive Summary

A look back over the two days and reflect on some of the key themes and issues that emerged, giving you key takeaway strategies to take back to your desk.

5:00pm

Closing Remarks

5:15pmClose of REFF-West 2011.
 
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