Law Commons^™

"Solar Reits": A New Tax Paradigm For Renewable Energy Financing, Richard A. Grisel

Richard A Grisel

The demand for renewable energy has never been higher. Regrettably, however, current financing methods and administrative programs have been inadequate to produce the necessary and sufficient market conditions to meet this demand.

One key to accessing lower cost capital—which in turn will help fill ever-increasing demand for renewable energy—is to move away from reliance on tax credits and tax equity financing models and attract a broader investor pool. Real estate investment trusts (REITs) have historically been a proven, effective capital-raising vehicle for various capital-intensive projects, such as buildings, transmission lines, and communication towers. Essentially, REITs are financial vehicles that allow …