The solar industry in Mass. is advancing rapidly, due in no small measure to state and federal incentives that have made the financing of solar projects more secure. All of the New England states are struggling with how to provide financial incentives to promote renewable development in ways that will actually be useful to project developers and lenders, and Mass. seems to have workable, albeit complex, programs that are resulting in many megawatts of projects being planned. Tax incentives, renewable energy certificates, portfolio standards, net metering and utility mandates have led to an array of possibilities that are difficult to navigate and difficult to assemble into a workable package. Siting issues, and the narrow margins and profits, still make solar projects challenging.
The February EBC Solar Energy Seminar focused on Massachusetts policies and programs to enable solar on closed landfills and Brownfield sites. This EBC Energy Seminar will provide an update on state initiatives to promote solar energy, and in particular tax incentives, solar renewal energy certificates, net metering and other aids to the financing and development of a solar project, such as insurance products. The MA DPU has opened a docket on net metering that is grappling with many critical issues, and top officials from that agency will speak on current status of the net metering program. Industry experts in the Solar Renewable Energy Certificate program will give us up to date information on the policy, as well as the practical implications of the program and the monetizing of these SRECs. Tax incentives will also be explained, as well as the latest insurance products designed to enable solar development. Finally, we will have experts explain how to assemble these incentives into a workable project financing based on their practical experience with solar developments.
Program Chair:
* John Wadsworth, Esq., Brown Rudnick
Speakers Include:
* Marshall Anderson, managing director, KPMG
* Eric Graber Lopez, director, BlueWave Capital, LLC
* David Costello, senior vice president, Commerce Bank
* Allan Heaton, director, CE2 Capital Partners
* Laura Olton, general counsel
* Mass. Department of Public Utilities
* Shaela McNulty Collins, hearings officer
* Mass. Department of Public Utilities
* Patrick Cox, partner, Brown Rudnick
* Mike Balmer, executive vice president, Willis North America
* John Harper, founder and principal, Birch Tree Capital, LLC

Registration and Continental Breakfast: 7:30 - 8:00 am
Program: 8:00 am - 12:00 noon
Registration Fees:
EBC members and co-hosts $120*
Non-members $165*
Government/Non-Profit $50*
* After April 26th and at the door add $20.
Subsidized Rates:
Only 5 available at each rate. Subsidized registrations not accepted at the door.
Job Seeker Rate: $25
For attendees who are currently unemployed- not self-employed.
Young Environmental Professional Rate: $25
An EBC Member who has worked in their field for less that 5 years.
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 27, 7:30 am - 12:00 noon
Location: Brown Rudnick, One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111
For more information regarding the April 27 Solar Energy Seminar visit http://www.ebcne.org/index.php?id=77&no_cache=1&tx_ciceventscalendar_pi1[sinuid]=676&cHash=eafb7d2aad74c01315ee425adf134d0d